Shopping For Gems And Jewelry

There are two important points to keep in mind when buying jewelry:

- Always shop at a reliable jeweler
- Always get a detailed receipt

Another good rule is to closely check the item you are considering purchasing, preferably using magnification (10x lens).

- Check that the setting secure. Note if the piece is marked with the metal content (i.e purity of gold/silver/platinum). Does it have a marker’s mark (meaning the piece is traceable?

- Check stones for flaws and chips or the presence of other features that may disturb the beauty and/or durability of the gem.

Remember that there are few bargains in the gem and jewelry world. One usually gets what one pays for. Most savings are made from shopping in areas with lower labor costs, reduced sales tax and/or import duties.

- A low price, while perhaps indicating the quality of the material being sold may also help put you on the alert for items being offered for sale under misnomer (e.g citrine (yellow) quartz being represented as topaz or just about any green translucent material going under the name of jade.)

When considering the value of a gem, be aware that the precise worth of gemstone depends not only on the quality of the stone itself but also on its current market position. (The latter may be influenced by rarity of material, availability of material, fashion, etc,) To estimate value, one consequently needs a fair amount of experience in the trade, but there are certain basic features which affect the stone’s price. They are:

Color: The color or lack of color in a gemstone is always an important factor in determining price. A stone of good color will obviously be more expensive than one of poorer color.

(Remember: The type and intensity of illumination influences the colors we see. Try examining the stone under lighting conditions that are as natural as possible.)

Clarity: Stone in which clarity is important as well as color (or lack thereof in the case of diamond) will have a much lower price if flawed. Where it is possible to find material virtually inclusion free (e.g., diamond, aquamarine, citrine, topaz, tanzanite, etc.,) the grading is much stricter than on material that is usually included (e.g corundum, amethyst, garnet, peridot, etc.). In the case of material which is almost always found included (e.g emerald, red tourmaline and red beryl) the grading system is relaxed still further as it is virtually impossible to meet flawless stones.

Cut: How well a stone is cut also has a marked effect on its price. Stones cut too deep or too shallow or in an irregular or sloppy manner will cost less than those with good proportions. In effect, the quality of cut is determined by proportions and finish.

The proportions are influenced by:
-Aesthetics: Beauty/appeal of dimensions and outline
-Practicality of dimensions and outline: ease with which stone can be mounted and/or whether the cut may pose durability problems.

(Remember: The finish reflects skill and care in fashioning process. Most finish faults (e.g rough girdle, polish lines, scratch marks, etc) may be overcome by minor repolishing.

Carat weight: A large stone is valued at a higher price per carat than a small stone because of the larger stone’s relative rarity. Nevertheless with stones over 40 carats, the price sometimes drops as the gem becomes too large to use in ordinary jewelry. Another factor is that the overall price becomes too high, especially for the basically less expensive (so-called semi precious) varieties.