Jewellery with coloured gems including rubies, emeralds and sapphires, are a beautiful fashion accessory that can add that wow factor to any outfit. Gems are beautiful and often make up most of the value in the ring or necklace, but the value of the gem is not always reflected in its beauty. It always pays to know exactly what you are buying.
It is imperative you ask questions when you purchase jewellery with gems to ensure you get the best value for your money. By asking your jeweller questions about the gemstone, you'll not only get the best value, but will be able to make your beautiful jewellery a talking point for many years to come.
Type of Gem Not all gems are the same, some are harder, some are rarer, and all have different values. Diamonds, rubies and sapphires are normally the most valuable followed by emeralds and others such as opals. If you are buying a gem for everyday use, it is best to get a hard stone, either a diamond, ruby or sapphire. There are also other considerations such as the colour of the gem you want, and what you can afford.
Clarity The most prized gemstones are opaque allowing the light to reflect off the facets, inclusions (or flaws) in the gem will often reduce its clarity. Clarity is measured on a scale and the smaller the inclusions usually results in greater value. The best gems will be rated IF meaning Internally Flawless. Ask the jeweller about the clarity of a gem, and if there are any flaws, as them to point them out to you. Once you make a purchase it is a good idea to remember your gems clarity, and if it does have an IF clarity, it is a nice point to boast about.
The weight or size of a gem is measured in carats, the more carats the more it is worth. When buying jewellery, always ask the size of the gems. This will usually be given as a weight in carats. It is always a good idea to remember the carat weight as it is often the first question people will ask about your gem.
Story If your jewellery is beautiful, it is often a good talking point, so it is best to know as much about it as possible, stories such as where the gems were found and anything you can glean about the mine where it was dug up is worth also knowing. It all adds to the value of the piece, not just in money terms, but the value it has for you.
Treatments There are many different treatments a gem can undergo to make it prettier, and some of those treatments will affect the value of the gem. It is the jeweller's obligation to disclose all treatments to a customer, but you may have to ask, so make sure you do.
Man-made Laboratory made gems can be less than 1/10th of the value of a natural stone that looks and behaves exactly the same, so what is the difference? It's all in the story, there just isn't much of a story if the Gem is man-made. A great talking point quickly becomes a little embarrasing when someone asks if the gem is natural. Of course, if this doesn't matter to you, then a man-made gem represents fantastic value for money.
When you buy gemstones, be prepared to ask questions and take time to get to know the history of your gem. It will not only make your jewellery more valuable to you, but it will help to make your jewellery a talking point at dinner parties.