|
 Diamonds
Main
article: Diamond
Diamonds
were first mined in India.[7] Pliny may have mentioned
them, although there is some debate as to the
exact nature of the stone he referred to as Adamas;[8]
In 2005, Australia, Botswana, Russia and Canada
ranked among the primary sources of gemstone diamond
production
Many precious and semiprecious stones are used
for jewelry. Among them are:
- Amber,
an ancient organic gemstone, is composed of
tree resin that has hardened over time. The
stone must be at least 1 million years old to
be classified as amber, and some amber can be
up to 120 million years old.
- Amethyst
has historically been the most prized gemstone
in the quartz family. It is treasured for its
purple hue, which can range in tone from light
to dark.
-
Emeralds are one of the three main precious
gemstones (along with rubies and sapphires)
and are known for their fine green to bluish
green color. They have been treasured throughout
history, and some historians report that the
Egyptians mined emerald as early as 3500 BC.
- Jade
is most commonly associated with the color green,
but can come in a number of other colours as
well. Jade is closely linked to Asian culture,
history, and tradition, and is sometimes referred
to as the stone of heaven.
- Jasper
is a gemstone of the chalcedony family that
comes in a variety of colors. Often, jasper
will feature unique and interesting patterns
within the colored stone. Picture jasper is
a type of jasper known for the colors (often
beiges and browns) and swirls in the stone’s
pattern.
- Quartz
refers to a family of crystalline gemstones
of various colors and sizes. Among the well-known
types of quartz are rose quartz (which has a
delicate pink color), and smoky quartz (which
comes in a variety of shades of translucent
brown). A number of other gemstones, like Amethyst
and Citrine, are also part of the quartz family.
Rutilated quartz is a popular type of quartz
containing needle-like inclusions.
- Rubies
are known for their intense red color, and are
among the most highly valued precious gemstones.
Rubies have been treasured for millennia. In
Sanskrit, the word for ruby is ratnaraj, meaning
king of precious stones.
- The
most popular form of sapphire is blue sapphire,
which is known for its medium to deep blue colour
and strong saturation. Fancy colored sapphires
in various colors are also available. In the
United States, blue sapphire tends to be the
most popular and most affordable of the three
major precious gemstones (emerald, ruby and
sapphire).
- Topaz
- Turquoise
is found in only a few places on earth, and
the world’s largest turquoise producing region
is the southwest United States. Turquoise is
prized for its attractive color, most often
an intense medium blue or a greenish blue, and
its ancient heritage. Turquoise is used in a
great variety of jewelry styles. It is perhaps
most closely associated with southwest and Native
American jewelry, but it is also used in many
sleek, modern styles. Some turquoise contains
a matrix of dark brown markings, which provides
an interesting contrast to the gemstone’s bright
blue color.
Some
gemstones (like pearls, coral, and amber) are
classified as organic, meaning that they are produced
by living organisms. Others are inorganic, meaning
that they are generally composed of and arise
from minerals.
Some
gems, for example, amethyst, have become less
valued as methods of extracting and importing
them have progressed. Some man-made gems can serve
in place of natural gems, an example is the cubic
zirconium, used in place of the diamond.
Jewelry
Terms |