We, are proud to provide you with the finest in gemstones
as well as the knowledge you need to choose a beautiful piece of jewelry.
Because gemstone quality is determined by several factors we would like
you to take the time to familiarize yourself with gemstone qualities.
Cut - Unlike diamonds, gemstones do not adhere to strict cut proportions
in order to create a visual impact. A well-cut gemstone is one that produces
both beauty and uniformity of color.
Color - The beauty and impact of a gemstone is defined by its color.
This important characteristic is an expression of the stone's hue, saturation,
and tone.
Clarity - The clarity of a gem is determined by the number of inclusions
it contains. Because some gems are typically less included than others
and the placement of the inclusions has a profound effect on the value
and beauty of the stone, we have assembled the following information to
help you make better choices.
Size - Because the carat weight of a gemstone can be affected by
the stone's density as well as its size, the actual dimensions of the
stone are more significant to the consumer.
Enhancements - The appearance, resilience, and availability of
a gemstone can be enhanced by a variety of treatments. Although enhancing
gemstones is a widespread process that has been practiced for centuries,
stones that require no enhancements naturally have far greater value than
their enhanced counterparts.
Cut - As you contemplate the quality of a gemstone, consider how
its cut affects the overall beauty and visual impact of the stone. Because
gemstones vary in consistency and intensity of color as well as number
of inclusions, a skilled gem cutter is concerned with creating the most
stunning jewel possible, rather than the largest. A stone that has been
cut to maximize its size will often contain visible streaks or flaws,
while one that has been carefully cut to capture the gemstone's inherent
beauty will possess a stunning depth of color. Often a gemstone with a
greater intensity of color is cut shallow and one with less color saturation
is given a deeper cut. These techniques are used to see that the amount
of light reflected out of the stone will create the most dynamic effect
possible. Regardless of the color, size, or weight of a gemstone, the
facets should be symmetrical and the polish should ensure a smooth, even
brilliance.
Color - The seemingly limitless colors of gemstones create a stunning
and dramatic effect. The hue, saturation, and tone all contribute to the
depth of color and overall beauty of each gemstone.
Hue - The prevailing color of a gemstone is referred to as its
hue. Most stones contain one dominant hue as well as one or more underlying
colors. Those gems with the purest hues are the most rare and valuable.
Saturation - The intensity of a gemstone's color is referred to
as the saturation. Jewels with vivid color saturation exhibit little or
no gray or brown hues, which can cause a dark or dull appearance. Sea
of Diamonds carries only the most striking gemstones with intense color
saturation.
Tone - Having great impact on the appearance of a gemstone is its
tone, or depth of color. Ranging from "colorless" to "extremely dark"
stones may vary in their transparency and richness of color. The most
beautiful of these jewels will have a tone that lies in the middle of
this range, offering both stunning color and a bright sparkle.
Clarity - As with diamonds, the clarity of a gemstone is determined
by its number of internal flaws (inclusions) and external flaws (blemishes).
Because specific gems tend to have more inclusions than others, the Gemological
Institute of America has created three colored gemstone clarity types:
GRADING
TYPES
Type I
Type I gemstones are those that may typically have no inclusions visible
to the naked eye. These stones may exhibit a high degree of clarity and
those typically included in this category are Aquamarine, Beryl (green,
pink, and yellow), Topaz and Zircon.
Type II
Although the minor inclusions found in this type are potentially visible
to the unaided eye, they typically do not detract from the overall beauty
of the gemstones. A skilled jeweler can create a favorable cut and setting
that will enhance the loveliness of these gemstones. In this category you
will usually find Amethyst, Garnet, Opal, Ruby, and Sapphires of all colors.
Type III
The gems included in this type, such as Tourmaline (red) and Emerald, are
nearly always included, making nearly flawless specimens extremely rare
and valuable. Gems of this type can be skillfully cut and set to exhibit
a high level of beauty.
Making a Choice
Depending on the color of gemstone that you are seeking, the level of clarity
that is available can vary greatly. Understanding both the gem types and
the clarity grades is important in choosing the best quality gemstone that
will allow you to stay within your budget while providing you with a cherished
piece of jewelry from Sea of Diamonds.
SIZE
Gemstones
not only come in a wide variety of colors, they also possess a range of
densities, making carat weight an often misleading characteristic. An emerald
and a ruby of the same size will have vastly different weights. For this
reason, most gemstone sizes are expressed in diameter or length and width
measurements rather than weight.
Examining and clearly understanding the size of a gemstone is crucial for
selecting a beautiful piece of jewelry. Sea of Diamonds provides you with
all the information you need to calculate the size of each gemstone and
determine which design is right for you.
ENHANCEMENTS
Enhancements
are treatments, other than cutting or polishing, which are performed on
natural gemstones to improve their durability, availability, or appearance.
By enhancing a gemstone, its natural color and stunning beauty is released,
allowing it to truly sparkle.
There are several enhancement processes, some permanent, and some temporary.
It is important to remember that the enhancements whether heat, irradiation,
diffusion, dye, coating, filling, bleaching, oiling or laser are utilized
to positively alter the gemstone. Gemstone enhancement is a common practice
throughout the jewelry industry.
Garnet occurs in a variety of colors such as red, orange, purple and green.
It is a durable, affordable, beautiful semi-precious gem that is the mainstay
of the jewelry industry. Garnet can be faceted, cabochon cut, beaded or
carved. Star stones do exist. Rhodolite, a vivid purple-red to purple
garnet, is the most expensive of the red garnets. Of the green varieties,
Tsavorite has an intense pure green color, while the rarer Demantoid is
a vibrant yellow-green color.
February
- Amethyst
Amethyst is a variety of Quartz that occurs in varying shades of purple,
the deeper the color, the greater the value. It is a soft gemstone that
is often faceted, beaded, or cabochon cut for jewelry use. The semi-precious
amethyst shares many similarities with its sister stone, citrine, and
can occur in a beautiful half amethyst, half citrine form called Ametrine.
March
- Aquamarine
Aquamarine is the blue gem form of the mineral Beryl. It is a relative
of gemstones such as the emerald and morganite. It is a precious gemstone
that often displays a pure blue to greenish-blue hue. It is most valuable
when it has an absence of green. The word aquamarine literally means seawater.
Bloodstone is an alternate birthstone for March.
April
- Diamond
Diamond is the most highly sought after gem. It is the hardest mineral
on Earth. Diamonds are created by the transformation of carbon due to
intense pressure and extreme temperature. They occur in a spectrum of
colors from colorless to yellow, green, pink, orange, red, purple, blue,
brown and black. However, it is the colorless variety that is the most
revered. Diamonds have the greatest brilliance and luster of any gem.
May
- Emerald
Emerald is the richly colored green variety of Beryl. It ranges in color
from bright clear green to deep bluish-green. A bluish-green color with
a lively appearance is the most desirable and valuable. Emeralds are unique
in that they are notoriously flawed, and yet they remain a precious gemstone.
The "garden effect" of eye visible inclusions is acceptable. Emeralds,
while lovely, are brittle and should be worn with care.
June
- Pearl
Pearls are an organic gem formed in shellfish, mainly oysters, occasionally
mussels and conch. Pearl forms around an irritant whether it be the tiniest
piece of grit or an inserted bead, as a natural reaction; the oyster builds
up a layer of nacre around the pearl. As the nacre layer grows, so does
the pearl. Pearls are grown in both salt and freshwater. Coldwater areas
such as Japan produce pearls generally up to 9.00 mm. Warm waters such
as around Tahiti grow the large South Sea variety. Pearls are sensitive
and must be cared for gently. Alternative birthstones for June include
moonstone and alexandrite.
July
- Ruby
Ruby is the red variety of Corundum. It is a tough mineral, second only
to diamond in hardness. Large rubies are difficult to locate, much more
so than diamonds, sapphires and emeralds; their value increases more dramatically
than any gem, hence ruby is referred to as the King of Gems. The finest
rubies are called Burmese. They are intensely red and are often referred
to as being "pigeon's blood" red. Jewelers may claim that a gem is Burmese,
but technically, it must be certified by an accredited laboratory such
as Gubelin or American Gem Labs (AGL) to bear the title Burmese.
August
- Peridot
Peridot is a semi-precious gemstone that occurs in shades of green from
clear, watery green to vibrant yellow-green to brownish-green. It was
once referred to as the "evening emerald". Due to its abundance, unmistakable
color and versatility, it is widely used in the jewelry industry.
September
- Sapphire
Corundum that occurs in colors other than red is called sapphire. The
various colors such as yellow, orange, blue, green, pink and purple are
all colored by different elements. Like their ruby counterpart, sapphires
are a tough mineral, second only to diamond in hardness. Blue is the most
popular color. Kashmir is the most valuable of sapphires. It possesses
a rich velvety-blue appearance. Colorless sapphire is often used as a
more affordable diamond substitute.
October
- Opal or Tourmaline
Opal consists of hardened silica combined with water. It is a delicate
gemstone that has a tendency to dry out or crack over time. Opal occurs
in many different colors including white, orange, gray and black. An opal's
internal structure determines the opalescence, "rainbow" or play-of-color;
based upon the individual silica spheres alignment. Opals are unique in
that their play-of-color changes as the light strikes; shades of yellow,
orange, red, blue and green dazzle the eye. Of them, red is the most valuable.
As for body color, black is highly prized, followed by crystal, white
and milky opals. Boulder opal is a particular variety consisting of a
slice of opal with its natural matrix rock attached. Fire Opal is a vivid
orange with no play of color. The various play-of-color patterns have
their own value scale as well. Tourmaline is an alternate October birthstone.
November
- Citrine or Golden Topaz
Citrine is a semi-precious gemstone that is the golden yellow variety
of Quartz. Citrine shares many similarities with its sister stone, amethyst,
and can occur in a beautiful half amethyst, half citrine form called Ametrine.
In its most valuable form, Madeira citrine, the gemstone has a rich burnt
orange or brandy color. Due to its abundance and versatility, citrine
is widely used in the jewelry industry.
Topaz is a semi-precious gemstone that occurs in a wide spectrum of colors,
such as yellow, blue, brown, pink, green and a colorless variety. Pink
is the most valuable color. Blue topaz is a popular gemstone in its own
right, but is also recognized as an affordable alternative to zircon,
December's birthstone. Colorless topaz is utilized as a diamond substitute.
Golden topaz is the traditional birthstone for November; however, many
substitute citrine as a more affordable option.
December
- Blue Topaz or Zircon
Blue topaz is a popular gemstone in its own right, but is also recognized
as an affordable alternative to zircon, December's birthstone. Topaz is
a semi-precious gemstone that occurs in a wide spectrum of colors, such
as yellow, blue, brown, pink, green and a colorless variety. In its golden
form, it is recognized as the traditional birthstone for November.
Zircon occurs in a variety of colors, such as blue, green, brown, orange
and colorless. It is a transparent gemstone with a high degree of brilliance,
much akin to diamond. Blue zircon is the most sought after color. Zircon
is the traditional birthstone for December; however there are two other
birthstone options; blue topaz, is more affordable and readily available,
or turquoise, the historical birthstone for December.
January
- Garnet
February
- Amethyst
March
- Aquamarine
April
- Diamond
May
- Emerald
June
- Pearl
July
- Ruby
August
- Peridot
September
- Sapphire
October
- Opal or Tourmaline
November
- Citrine or Golden Topaz
December
- Blue Topaz or Zircon