Gemstone Appreciation A gemstone has to have certain qualities to be called a gem. It must be rare…. It must be Beautiful… It must be Durable which includes hardness and toughness. Jade is the toughest gem in that it is least likely to be chipped or cracked. Diamond is the hardest gem in that it is least likely scratched but it is not as tough as some other gems. Opal can be beautiful but not very durable. Sapphire is the hardest of all colored Gems and it is very tough. Tanzanite and Peridot are minimally hard should not be worn in rings for everyday use. Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder but many do not know what constitutes the ultimate beauty of many gems. In the case of colored gems color is the most important factor in value, because that is also related to its rarity. An opal with white body color and very little color coming from inside is simply not as beautiful as an opal that has vivid flashes or at least four or six colors of the rainbow. Red is prized by most gemologist but those with strong blue-greens are also attractive. Diamond is rare, durable and beautiful IF it is well cut. Cutting brings out the sparkle in a diamond. Of course if it is real high white color and no visible inclusions it is fabulous. A little bit of body color and cut not precisely done will lose some beauty.

Sapphires are most beautiful when they are truly Blue at arms length. Too many are navy blue or pale blue. Those are less rare, less valuable and much more plentiful.

Alexandrite is perhaps  the more rare, durable and potentially beautiful gem in the kingdom. Alexandrite is most certainly one of the more exciting gems. Alexandrite unfortunately is one of the more mis-understood gems.

Originally from Russia now from Brazil and some from Africa of lower grades. Since about 1949 Union Carbide in Chicago has been making lab grown Synthetic Corundum (Sapphire) that imitates Alexandrite. And more recently others are manufacturing a Synthetic Alexandrite. That synthetics simply have no character and no value.

What is so unique about Alexandrite is that it changes color from daylight (teal green) to (purplish red) in artificial incandescent light. If you can not see a decided change in color rarity is not there and hence the value is less, considerably less.