Gems Guide

Color
Color is the number one factor in determining the value of any gemstone. The more intense the color, the more valuable. An example would be the very dark blue sapphires that are offered by some dealers. These navy blue sapphires go almost black when taken out of the strong lights. This is how you will normally see these gems because you do not walk around with a high intensity light to show others your item of jewelry. Gemstones that look great under a dealers strong lights should also be seen with these lights turned off to see the real color that you will view daily under normal conditions. If the gemstone goes too dark with the lights off, you should to pass on this gem and select another.

Carat Weight
Carat is a metric unit of weight used in the gemstone industry to describe how much a gemstone weighs. A carat is equal to one fifth of a gram or it can be said that there are five carats in one gram. The term "points" means a decimal fraction of a carat. One point is equal to .01 of a carat.

Cut
Proper cutting is what gives a gemstone its beauty and brilliance. Many people are confused about what a well cut gemstone looks like. There are no big mysteries about judging good cutting, it is very simple. When viewing a gemstone, looking at the table, a well cut gemstone will be very bright across the entire surface. This brightness is light being bounced around inside the gemstone, reflecting back to your eye. You cannot see through a well cut gemstone because almost all light is being reflected back towards your eyes. Poorly cut gemstones maybe too shallow or too deep causing what is called a "window". Windows are some thing that you are meant to look through and these are better left as windshields in you car or as windows in your home. If you can see through a gemstone looking from the table down towards the culet, the point on the bottom, it has a window. If you can see through a gemstone it means that light is passing through it, along with color and brilliance. Windows weaken the intensity of color and severely affect brilliance. Gemstones with windows are not desirable, they lack beauty and brilliance. You want gemstones that have "mirrors" that reflect back to you all of the beauty and brilliance that is yours to enjoy.

Clarity
Clarity is the term used to describe how clean a gemstone is using a monochromatic color corrected 10X magnification. The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) has set forth standards for clarity grading of Colored Gemstones and Diamond.

Confidence
Confidence is an additional quality that should be mentioned. You need to have confidence and trust with those whom you are dealing with. Ask questions and expect answers to your questions regarding a dealers expertise in gemstones or ethics. Is the dealer reputable and knowledgeable? Is the dealer familiar with the AGTA Gemstone Enhancement Codes and do they use them? Did you know that gemstone enhancement disclosure is required on all invoices, memorandums and advertising by the Federal Trade Commission? What type of return policy does the dealer offer if there is a problem? Can the dealer show you a range of items to select from and explain what the differences are and why? Are you dealing with a sales novice or someone who knows what they are doing?