By George C.Baycan
Gemstone jewelry is jewelry that offers an extraordinary look for any and every occasion. Available in a wide spectrum of colors and shades, you can find so many pieces that you would enjoy wearing, whether for formal or informal affairs. Shopping for these gorgeous pieces is always a thrilling experience because the choices are so many. You will have trouble finding a piece to suit the occasion, your style and your pocketbook.
Unlike diamonds, which are indeed beautiful in their own right, colorful gemstones are so versatile and appeal to so many different people, and yet another benefit is that they can also be considerably less expensive. Emeralds, rubies, and sapphires are considered to be among the most valuable of all the precious and semiprecious gemstones in the world and are available in a wide variety of values, settings, cuts, and types.
Sapphire rings are available in shades of blue along with several other colors, although the deep blue remains the most popular color of sapphires, which are the birthstone for the month of September and one of the hardest of all gemstones second only to diamonds.
Ruby rings, the July birthstone, are known for their brilliant red color and have long been associated with love, passion, and power. This precious gemstone has been worn for centuries by emperors and kings all over the world and is greatly prized because of its sheer beauty and rarity. Rubies are often given as tokens of love and, much like sapphires, also score high on the Mohs scale that's used to measure mineral hardness.
Emeralds are spectacular gemstones and among the most expensive of all. But, gemstone jewelry made with emeralds can take your breath away. Typically, an emeralds value can be determined by the depth and richness of the color; that is to say the deeper the green, the higher the value. If you love emeralds but are on a budget, you can find man made stones that look quite real but are less expensive.
In regards to the ever important matter of the stone's actual cut, gemstone jewelry can be found in a wide variety of differing cuts, each used to accentuate the stone's natural brilliance in some way. Brilliant-cut is one of the most popular for larger stones and allows the maximum amount of light to pass through and be reflected back out. Brilliant cuts can be used for round, oval, marquise, even pear shaped stones. Other popular cuts for gemstone jewelry include princess, heart, emerald, radiant, and trillion.
Some gemstone rings may feature a single, solitary stone with either a plain band or one that's encrusted with other stones, while many others have groups of stones that can be identical or completely different.
Take your time to find just the right piece of gemstone jewelry. Be sure and learn the best methods of caring for your new jewelry. Gem stones are durable and don't need a whole lot of attention, but cleaning them regularly will allow them to show off their spectacular beauty every time you wear them.
And finally, remember to never clean your gemstone rings, or any other type of jewelry for that matter, over or near a sink, use a bowl instead to be extra sure you won't ever lose your most favorite piece down the drain.
About the Author:
George C. Baycan of Simayof Jewelers has 7 years experience in the jewelry business and serves in management and marketing consultant positions. He specializes in
Gemstone Rings and
Engagement Ring Settings consulting.