Ratna Sagar Jewels - All Types of Wholesale Gemstone Beads

Gemstones embedded in jewelry, for ages, are worn by women to flaunt their beauty and express their natural lifestyle and panache. Traditionally, in South Africa, artisans use gemstones jingling with metal beads and musical cowrie shells to carve sacred bones and tusks into jewelry. This ancient bling represents Africans connection to spirits, deities, and above all their homelands.

My point, varied gemstones manufactured in the mines of Africa are unique on their own and are appreciated globally by consumers owing to their rarity, sheen, and extraordinary properties. In fact, these crystals are particularly intriguing and desirable as Africa’s rich and valuable soil is known to produce roughly 19 000 variations of gemstones, which is nearly 50% of the global gemstone turnover.

Let’s take a quick glance at the most sought after gemstones from African mines:

Tourmaline:

It is considered as one of the exquisite crystals, which is found in almost every single color identified in the rainbow spectrum.  They are famously found in Namibia and contain Copper metal as an element which gives it a vibrant color. For artisans, it is one the most versatile and brightest gemstones found in the nature. Most Tourmaline gemstones are long, slender faceted crystals. Browse our wider selection of faceted Tourmaline specimens in the Tourmaline gemstone category.

Ruby:

Originated from Tanzania, natural Ruby is most loved and legendary red gemstone amongst collectors. It possesses a spectacular property of transparent crystal with adamantine to vitreous luster. At Ratnasagar, we exclusively provide our clients with an elaborate collection of AAA grade rubies online, which are available in micro cut, Rondelle Shape.

 Moonstone:

Sensuous and intriguing Moonstone originated in Africa resembles the glow of moonlight and possess milky translucent to transparent properties. The stone is remarkably famous among gemstone lovers around the world as its property changes with shifting ray of light in mysterious depths. Ratnasagar Jewels has an elaborate collection of Rainbow Moonstones, available in beautiful pastel colors. The radiant shine of these crystals beholds the mystery of enigmatic moon itself. Besides, these glowing moonstones are also available in vivid colors and shapes like white color with blue tinge, grey-white-orange color with puffed diamond cut and micro flower cut, Coffee color with silky sheen, whitish orange color with micro flower cut, grey color with silky sheen, and Tea Rose-Pink color with silver tinge. Check out our online gallery for a beautiful collection of natural moonstones!

Apatite:

Rare, rich Apatite gemstones from Africa are known for their exceptional gem quality, sheen, and luster. Since ancient times, the jewelry makers use Apatites of all colors, especially neon-blue green color specimen to create exceptional ornaments.  Find Apatite gems in different colors - neon-blue, deep Swiss-blue, bright green, and yellow –only at Ratna Sagar Jewels!

Tanzanite:

Natural Tanzanite gemstones were first found in 1967 near Tanzania’s Kilimanjaro Airport.  Today, it is remarkably considered as one of the most exotically available colored gemstones. Tanzanite belongs to the category of Ziosite mineral, which is rarely found in a few locations, including Tanzania and India. The gem comes in the shades of yellow, green, and violet-blue. Discover our collection of Tanzanite gemstones beads available in micro cut, Rondelle Shape.

Aquamarine:

Considered popularly as the “gem of the sea” is a bluish green color gem, which belongs to the beryl variety. In earlier days, Aquamarine gem was considered to be associated with treasure of mermaids as it was mainly used by sailors as a mascot of bringing good luck, safety, and fearlessness. It is also deliberated as a stone of happiness and eternal youth. We offer an extensive variety of Aquamarine gems in sea-blue color and bluish-green color at wholesale prices.

Chrysoprase:

It is an apple-green color gemstone entailing of an assortment of chalcedony which includes contains nickel element. Known for instilling healing properties, and manifesting joy, happiness, and optimism; get this beautiful gemstone at affordable prices at our online gallery.

Scapolite:

Scapolite is an exceptional gemstone which is termed after a famous Greek word – skapos, connoting a stem/stick. This gemstone looks like a long columnar materialization of crystals and is found in beautiful colors if honey yellow, violet, cream, dark brown, orange, pink, and gray. These days colorless Scapolites are also gaining traction in the jewelry making industry.

Garnet:

Garnet Gemstone, originated from Mozambique, is an unbreakable and durable gemstone. This colorful gem is ideal for jewelry use and suits everyone’s taste and personality. All Garnets have similar crystal structure and comes in various colors like orange (Spessartite garnet), green (Tsavorite garnet), and purple (Rhodolite Garnet). Check out a beautiful collection of Garnets at our online gallery. We also have a spectacular collection of unique Garnets like color change garnet (one of the rarest and most valuable garnet gemstones, which are highly desired for the gemstone’s distinct ability to incessantly change color subject to the type of light it is viewed in), Hessonite Garnet (well-known for its warm red-yellowish tones helps to have clarity in mind and wear-off fears), Grossular Garnet (deriving its name from the gooseberries owing to its light-green, resembling the colors of berries), and Strawberry Quartz (gemstone known for creating a positive and loving environment, has the combination of Iron Oxide and Goethite which instill crystalline matrix. The color of this gemstone ranges from raspberry pink and light pink to strawberry pink).

Sapphire:

For most people, this gem symbolizes the stone of royalty and wisdom. It is also associated with consecrated things of practically every religion. Steeped deeply in the history of Asian and European culture, Sapphire is only second in hardness to the most loved and valued rock - diamonds. From royals to celebrities, this precious stone is picked by almost everyone. In fact, the late Princess Diana was known to wear an 18-carat sapphire in her diamond studded engagement ring. Discover a fine collection of Blue Sapphire, Yellow Sapphire, Multi-color Sapphire, and Songea Sapphire on our online gallery.

African Amethyst:

African Amethyst gemstones are found in the African Continent (especially in the South Africa). These gems symbolize the taste of people from highest class society owing to its perfect sheen, hue, and brilliance in color. Gemstone lovers from 20th century were predominately fascinated by African Amethyst. The natural color of African Amethyst varies from light purple color to intense shades of violet and royal purple mauve. Explore the finest collection of African Amethyst from Zambia at our online gemstone beads gallery.

Written By:- Taiba Fatima

Permeate the perfect eloquence of gemstones mined in Africa to your life and dive into the world of magnificence. Explore these delightful gemstones at Ratnasagarjewels!

Burma, for many centuries, is considered as the most prominent hub of gem industry in the world. In Mogok, which is globally the home to finest emerald green gems and rubies, about 20,000 people earn their living from mining and carving gemstones. If numbers are to be believed, nearly 85% of sapphires and rubies are mined in Burma, followed by Kashmir in India.

With the presence of hidden gems in the land of wealth, let’s take a trip down the Burmese land and discover gem deposits mined in the region.

Sapphire Gemstones: Today, the industry gets the best sapphires from 3 major locations, viz., Burma, Madagascar, and Sri Lanka. Amongst these primary locations, Burmese sapphires are widely considered as the unique and rarest. The untreated blue sapphire gems from Burmese land are known to display a vivid and remarkable hue of royal blue with fine rutile silk inclusions. Explore our online gallery to check out an exclusive collection of natural, transparent, and non-heated Sapphire Precious Gemstone available in micro cut, Rondelle shape.

Tourmaline: It is composed of the crystalline boron-silicate mineral that is compounded with exclusive elements like iron, aluminum, magnesium, lithium, sodium, and/or potassium. The gemstone, commonly found in Burma, are classified as - semi-precious stones. They are found in a wide range of colors, such as yellow-green brown, light to dark pink-green, deep black color, hot-pink color, and green color. As the gemstone is found in multi colors, tourmaline fondly is named from the Singhalese phrase, ‘tura mali’ meaning ‘stone integrated with pulsating colors’. Often regarded as a gem for teachers and poets, discover our AAA grade tourmaline gems in Tear Drop, Faceted Rondelle, Flat Pear Briolette, Heart Briolette, and Oval Faceted shapes.

Ruby Gemstones: Ruby is the most famous and valuable gemstone and belongs to the range of Corundum. Its color varies from bright violet red to lightning/fiery vermilion. Burmese rubies are the finest gems with a magical appeal attached to them. The enigmatic color of Burmese rubies predominately comes from, (i) a blend of red fluorescent and bluish-red color intensity found in the rubies mined from Burma, and (ii) a tinge of tiny silk inclusions seen in these rubies scattering light onto facets. Besides, Burmese rubies, as viewed by gemstone lovers, are much newer than ones originated from East Africa. Get your collection of Burmese Ruby from Ratna Sagar Jewels, view our gallery now!

Burma Red Spinel Gemstone: Burmese Red Spinel is one of the special gemstones for varied reasons. For eras, it was erroneously considered as ruby and earned incredible fame. As of today, a red spinel of fine quality is deliberated as the rarest gemstone and has an unbeatable spark in hues of stunning pastel shades, including purple, blue, pink, and orange. Mined in Burma (Myanmar), it is used by artisans for creating finest jewelry collection. Buy a spectacular collection of Red Spinel at wholesale prices from Ratna Sagar Jewels!

Apatite Gemstone: Originated from the mines of Burma, these gems possess transparent property with vitreous luster. They are commonly available in deep Swiss-blue color with micro-cut Heart Shape. Blue Brazilian Apatite gemstones found in neon blue-green color are known to command the highest prices in the market. See our wide collection of natural blue apatite gemstones, perfect to team-up with rings, bracelets, and other ornaments.

Scapolite Gemstones: Lustrous Scapolite Gemstone from the soil of Burma is known to possess the property of gemmy transparent. These gems belong to a group of rock-forming silicate minerals, which are composed of sodium silicate, aluminum, and calcium. Scapolite derives its name from the Greek word, Skopos, implying a stem or stick owing to its resemblance to a long columnar formation of crystals. The gemstone is found in striking colors of honey yellow, violet, pink, orange, gray and brown colors. Browse through our gallery to find these rare and desirable gemstones.

Jade Gemstones: Jade is a popular ornamental mineral, which is widely known for its exquisite green varieties featuring prominently in the work of ancient Asian art. The gem immaculately bears its cultural roots from the smoke-dimmed huts and caves of medieval era sheltered in the pre-historic humans. As witnessed by the Stone Age workers, Jade gemstone was carved in the shapes of toughest war weapons ritual objects, tools, and ornaments. It was also believed that these carvings invoked the mystical powers from the earth and heaven and bonded forces of death and life together. Modern gemologists are known to use these gems to a number of jewelry and ornamental materials to create an ingenious and intriguing effect on them. To explore a perfect collection of classic Jade gemstones from Burma in eye-catching shapes and color, visit our online gallery.

Zircon from Burma: Zircon is a prized natural Gemstone, which is known to possess transparent property with adamantine luster and sheen. The brilliant range of colors and luster of Zircon exemplifies fire when integrated with its good hardness makes it the most sought-after gemstone amongst the gem lovers. Zircon traditionally is connoted as the birthstone for December born babies. Ratna Sagar jewels have an elaborate range of Burma Zircons, now available in micro cut, Flat Pear shape. Check our gallery today!

Cordierite: An Iolite or Cordierite is an aluminum-iron-magnesium cyclosilicate. The gemstone was first discovered in the year 1813. It is named after a renowned French geologist –Louis Cordier. Cordierite gemstones are found in the mines of Burma and are valued for their remarkable trichroism, i.e. deep bluish purple color when viewed from the length of the prism and yellowish-brown color when seen through its sides. Find an attractive and versatile collection of Cordierite, cut into striking colors of deep blue and violet faceted gems at Ratna Sagar Jewels.

Peru is home to vivid cultures and mysteries. Burrowed into the mines of Peru are a variety of hidden gemstones and precious metals. The modern mining industry of the country’s landscape is known for its innovative mining process through which romanticized gems are extracted and processed which always tend to excite the archaeologists and gemstone lovers across the world.

Today, as we are navigating through the Peruvian’s ancient penchant, let’s take a look at some of the mystical gems of the region which behold the national significance.

Peruvian Opal: Peruvian Pink Opal and Blue Opal are considered as the pièce de résistance or flagship products of the country. In prehistoric times, these gems were deliberated as Pachamama’s gift (the goddess of nature, fertility, and good fortune). They were often used by The Inca Empire (one of the largest empires in Pre Columbian America in the early 16th century) as a customary ritual stone. Peruvian blue opals are only found in the San Patricio’s Andes mountains and are known for its spectral fire and color.

Blue Opal is considered as the national gemstone of Peru. It is mined in the congregated rocks and has a mild and fragile appearance. Depending on the way this stone is cut and crafted, it may vary in degrees of color. Jewelers use these choicest gems to create unique jewelry or loose gemstones.

Peruvian Chrysocolla: Named for its highly regarded origin, these attractive gems are found in green and blue opaque color.  They are known to display an array of colorful designs and patterns owing to the oxidization of metals like iron, manganese, and copper. Each gem tends to exhibit a unique pattern, which makes them an exceptional and inimitable.

Rhodochrosite: These hot pink and deep red crystals are considered as very aesthetic and highly sought after due to their stunning looks and colors. Rhombohedral crystals come from the mines of Tambo Colorado (Peru) and continue to fascinate jewelry paramours for ages.  Alma King is a 15 cm Rhodochrosite crystal, which also happens to be the largest crystal ever found. Rhodochrosite is a part of the calcite group, which contains related or isomorphic carbonates. These minerals have similar physical properties and get crystallized in the trigonal system exhibiting resilient double refraction and perfect rhombohedral cleavage. When tamed with an admirable finish and proportionate shape, Rhodochrosite crystal can stun gemstone lovers in every way!

Peruvian Amazonite: Often recognized as Amazon Stone, this light aqua colored gemstone occasionally comes with jolts of clear turquoise. The gemstone contains beautiful small black inclusions as well as inclusions of a semi-transparent to opaque crackled white quartz, which strikes a perfect balance between the delicate, refined color and natural organic shape of these Peruvian amazonite beads. Often Amazonite stones are mistaken as chrysoprase owing to its color. The Peruvian Amazonite gemstones are mined in Africa, United States, Peru, South America, and Russia.

Even though, the last decade witnessed emerging of a number of synthetic crafted gems, the demand for gemstones mined from Peru continues to climb upwards. What is seen likely to persist forever, Peru gemstones will inarguably remain a pre-loved treasure due to its intrinsic value and rarest natural existence.

For most of gemstone beads lovers, we marvel about how these stunning and precious gemstone beads are formed! While we shop for these precious or semi-precious stone beads to complement splendor to our jewelry and ornaments, the designers and jewelers may introduce us to genuine, treated, or simulated, or a combination of gemstones. Even though at first glance, these might look very similar, their prices vary highly depending on the above categories.

With this article, we attempt to take you along the entire journey of these gemstone beads – right from how they are crafted, colored, how artisans work on their stone cutting, designing, to their trading and retail.

India is one of the leading hubs for gemstone beads manufacturing, followed by countries like China, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. In the modern cities of India exists skilled craftsmen, who are drawn from the patronage of ancient rulers and maharajas. For generations, these artisans have created immaculate gemstones for colorful creations, which are either exported or kept in emporiums and small workshops.

So, how is gemstone beads manufactured in these major hubs?

The manufacturing process of gemstone beads involves raw material, such as gemstones like aquamarine, emerald, citrine, sapphire, ruby, and many more, which are found in various parts of the world. These gemstones are also imported directly from the mines as crude stones for further processing.

To debunk and craft these untreated gemstones to gorgeous beads, artisans convert them into shapes like round, faceted, oval, etc. These natural gemstone beads are subsequently polished by a gemcutter or lapidarist. Most jewelers selling precious and semi-precious gemstone beads use rough gemstones (which are lightly hammered simply to knock-off brittle material) and polish them using progressive abrasion with finer grits of the harder substances. Depending on the size of gemstone beads (as per client’s requirement) skilled craftsmen of a manufacturing unit works on it and creates beads which can be impeccably used in jewelry.

These stones can be further classified as:

Cabochons: these are opaque stone which have smooth and dome-shaped cuts; and 

Facets: these are stones cut with a faceting machine and meticulously polished at regular intervals at an exact angle

Cabochons include turquoise, opal, and variscite. These are peculiarly designed to reflect the surface properties or color of the gem. At times, polishing agents and grinding wheels are used to polish these beaded stones. The facets, on the other hand, are sparkling and transparent and reflect optical properties. To accurately shape faceted stones, jewelers employ experience artisans who can precisely cut these gems depending on their optical properties, for instance, if the angles are too shallow or too steep, it will allow the light to pass through and hence, will not give an appealing look to the viewer. For this reason, some cutters employ elite curved laps to cut as well as polish curved facets.

Generally, the brilliance and luster of gemstone beads are evaluated to determine whether it will be fashioned to a cabochon or faceted piece.

An important point to note here is, the Lab created gemstones (in contrast) are synthetic gemstones that are manufactured in the laboratory. While their physical and optical qualities are similar to a natural gemstone, the technology used for creating them is intricate. And so, these stones are not considered as authentic as an untreated gemstone and calls for an expert opinion to establish its purity.

Finally, for making eternally fashionable jewelry, jewelers use a range of jewelry tools to bond these delicate gemstone beads for making rings, pendants, necklaces, earrings, etc. Typically, to enjoy the splendor and beauty of these amazing gemstones, artisans use platinum, silver, and gold for making ornaments with precious and semi-precious beads.

To sum up, much of the gemstone beads manufacturing involves methods that are little changed for generations and are worked by artisans following traditional ways to create pieces which were truly fit for the moguls and maharajas of the past.

Beautiful and serene moonstone is a symbol of “new beginning”. The mysterious stone is filled with the magic of the moon.  As per astronomy, the position of the moon plays a vital role in our life. The events and occurrences happening are related to the position of the moon in our birth chart. 

The moonstone has fascinating folklore attached with it. According to one of the Roman legends, the moonstone was formed by solidified rays of moonlight. They also believed that Roman Goddess Diana could be seen within the gem. The crystal helps the wearer to take the wisest decision in life. Further, it bestows wisdom, inner peace, love and good fortune.

Here, we are going to tell you top five selling moonstone and their powerful properties.

1.  White Moonstone:

The White Moonstone enlightens the spiritual path. It enhances psychic awareness and encourages the love for the divine. White Moonstone is also called Sleep Stone. Mediating with moonstone before going to bed helps in getting a peaceful sleep. Putting the stone beneath the pillow assists in lucid dreaming. 

2.  Coffee Moonstone:

It is also known as “Traveler’s Stone”. The travelers still carry it while traveling in the night over the water. It is believed that it protects them from hurricane, peril and even sea pirates. Some astrologers suggest keeping Coffee Moonstone gemstone in the car gives you extra protection while traveling in the night.

3.  Peach Moonstone:

It is the stone of feminine energy thus is considered to be a very good stone for women. It protects and helps them to overcome problems in married life. The Peach Moonstone is widely known as a fertility stone. According to ancient folklore women sewed the gem in the clothes to have a child. It is still practiced a lot by Middle Eastern women. Besides being known as a miracle fertility stone, it also helps women overcome menstrual problems and childbirth pain.

4.  Orange Moonstone:

The orange moonstone symbolizes power, healing, good luck and love. It is known for its powerful quality to pacify feminine energy. It supports the heart thus bring love and romance in life. Orange Moonstone crystals are known to purify and transom negative energy. Wearing orange moonstone studded jewellery enhances intuition and sixth sense. It is very helpful in improving self-image. Also, helps you realize your own worth. It gives you confidence when expressing yourself emotionally. The stone helps you to see the positive aspect in every situation. It is also soothes worry and anxiety.

5.  Pink Moonstone:

The stunning Pink Moonstone is a talisman of love. It is considered as the gemstone of heart. It gives you the courage to open up the heart and helps you in getting acceptance of love. The pink crystal carries the soft feminine energy of peace, comfort, empathy, friendliness, loyalty, and commitment.  It is also known to reunite lovers who parted ways because of misunderstanding, differences or anger.

These are the top five selling moonstone. If you are looking for moonstone then buy from Ratna Sagar Jewels, the top online store for buying AAA quality moonstone at a wholesale price.

Gemstone comes in a variety of eye-catching shapes like heart, triangular, oval, octagon, round, square etc. The cut of gemstone plays a vital role in its popularity and sale. A particular cut is given taking into consideration which will look best on the rough gemstone. The shapes are given different cuts to depict the many facets, which gives a unique look to the crystal. A perfect gemstone cut will smartly hide its imperfection and enhance its best qualities.

Here we are going to tell you top 4 gemstone cuts famous with gem lovers around the world.

1.  Briolette Cut:

It is a pear or drops-shaped artistically cut triangular facets covering the entire surface of the gemstone. The cut doesn’t have any pavilion, table or crown thus it is most difficult shape to be carved out on the surface of the stone. The brilliance of the crystal increases with the number of triangular shapes.  The Briolette cut naturally reflects light from every angle. The gracious look it renders to the gemstone makes it a perfect choice for pendants and earrings. The light passing through the dazzling earring makes it look stunning. 

Briolette cut gemstones are very popular with gem wholesalers, retailers, gemstone designers and in the precious stone auction market. The antique gem buyers prefer Briolette to replace the lost or broken stone in jewelry. One of the latest shapes in Briolette is Heart Briolette with the micro cut. Generally, Heart Briolette has 18 facets but Ratna Sagar Jewels, the top online store has come up the unique shape with 180 facets, even with facets on edges. The stylish Heart Briolette is in great demand.

2.  Cushion Cut:

A cross between rectangle and oval, the Cushion cut is also known as Old European Cut. The cut has classic square shape with inventively rounded corners which makes it look like a cushion on a couch. The cushions cuts were extremely popular in 19th and early 20th Century. The current cushion shape has gone through a transformation. The old cut used to have 58 facets and present ones have 64 facets. The increase in facets gives more depth to the gem design. It renders a classic and romantic look to the jewelry, which makes it an evergreen choice.  The gem designers are constantly experimenting with cushion and giving interesting facets like concave, checkerboard and Portuguese cut to make it look more striking.  It is the reason that cushion cut has returned to the gemstone popularity list with a bang.   The best thing about this cut is that it leads to very less wastage and also maintains a fabulous luster. 

3.  Chandelier Briolette Cut:

Anything that is unique instantly catches attention, the best example of it is Chandelier Briolette Cut gemstone. It is one of the top-selling gemstone cut trendings in the market. The classy silhouette is a blend of two shapes Briolette and Chandelier. The fascinating gemstone design is the creation of Ratna Sagar Jewels. The trendy cut goes well with every kind of precious and semi-precious stone whether it is Oliver Quartz, Black Spinel, Moonstone, Topaz, Ruby, Lapis, Onyx or any other gem.

4.  Emerald Cut:

The Emerald cut has stepped cuts that appears rectangular when viewed from the top and has finely trimmed corners.  Generally, the emerald cut has approximately 50 facets, the facets may increase or decrease according to the design decided by the gem designer. The main aim of the particular design is to enhance the clarity and color of the gemstone. The shape is very popular for rings. The customers like the elongated emerald cut gemstone in the ring as it looks beautiful on a finger.

If you are in the gemstone market, apart from the obvious colour and size, there is one more very important thing that you should evaluate. And nobody is going to cheat you on this if you know how to calculate the size of a gemstone. We all it- The Carat. When it comes to finding the right sized gemstone within a budget you can handle, carats is something you should get familiar with.

What is a carat?

Gemstones are weighed in carats. Every gemologist would count the carat as the basic factor to classify different gemstones. The raw pieces are cut into smaller and smoother edges. The finished gemstones are tagged with the carat after cutting to measure up the amount of wastage in the processing.

Abbreviated to “ct” in a gemstone parlance, a carat is a unit of measurement usually represented in points. A point of a gemstone size is 0.01 of a carat or in general terms, one unit is 1% of what we know as a carat. For very small garnets, rubies and travertine, the usual unit of size determination is a “point” and not carats.

Carat and pricing:

The word “carat” has same origin as that of the word “keratin”. Keratin is derived from the Latin word “keratos”, meaning “little horn”. The carob tree seeds are called keratin too, and the gemstones resemble them in more than one way that you can think of. Carats signify the uniformity of different sized gemstones.

As far as pricing is concerned, a gemstone with higher carat value is quoted at a higher price.

A correlation: Grams versus carat

Until the end of World War I, gemstones were still measured in grams and not carats. After 1920, the popularity of carats caught up owing to bigger sized diamonds being cut into cabochons and smaller shapes. As a method of approximation, gem scientists and lapidary artists zeroed on to carat as an international standard.

One carat = 1/5th of a gram

In general term, one carat is 20 percent of what we know as gram weight.

Law of gemstone pricing:

Price per carat is the universal factor to identify what the gemstone might be weighing. The pricing is fixed as per a very popular hand-rule called “Indian Law” or “Tavernier’s Law”.

In a bid to find the weight of the gemstone in terms of carats, the formula used is:

Carat = Facet style factor (ff) x {Girdle length (grl) x Girdle width (grw)} x depth (dep) x Average specific weight

These days, a specially designed digital scale is used to weigh precious gemstones. The same scale can derive the combined carat weight of more than one gemstone.

To convert a gemstone’s weight in milligrams into carat, divide it with a factor of 200.

For example, if a diamond weighs 250 milligrams, the weight in carat is: 250/200= 1.25 ct

In terms of points, this carat value is equal to 125 points.

Apart from carat of course, there are three C’s you need to define to arrive at the right price- Cut, Clarity and Colour.

As kids, we all loved collecting items that meant a lot to us then.  In gemstone market, there are a handful of collectors who are in a serious business of collecting rarest of the rare gemstones and displaying their prized possessions at a handsome price. If you are smitten by the shiny hard rocks, here are some truly delightful gemstones that you can consider collecting and build a gallery of your own.

But before that a few guidelines and tips.

1.  Unique and incredibly rare:

Not all gemstones are not that fascinating as say a peridot or a garnet or even an emerald. You have to be really choosy in collecting only those gemstones that have a reputation of being rare or unique in their own ways.

2.  Colour and clarity:

Shiny and brilliant gems have a higher adulation than the opaque ones. If you are truly in the game of collecting unique gemstones, try segmenting your gallery in terms of optical properties, colour and even cuts and shapes.

3.  Price tag:

Oh yes, this is the most uncomplicated filter for any collector. Higher the price higher will be the fan-following! There are high-priced gemstones that you may not have even heard of... Explore them beyond the world of diamonds, rubies and ambers.

4.  Care and maintenance:

Most gemstones require an elaborate care and maintenance routine, and that’s where full-time collectors score big. They rely a lot on technology and latest in gemstone cleansing methods.

5.  The world of faux pas:

The life of a gemstone collector revolves around trust and reputation. Even if you manage to collect and display a single gemstone- real and verified source, you are right up there in the league of top professionals. Don’t rely on cheap sources. You are what your gemstone sources make you.

A new world of gemstones:

For the love of intense colour and high-quality brilliance, you can start exploring a whole new dimension in gemstone collection. Here are some of the least heard gemstones that most collectors usually have hard time finding in the local market.

Hauyne:

This beautiful energetic blue-coloured gemstone belongs to the family of sodalite. First discovered in 1807 in Italy, this gemstone has the highest refractive index for any naturally occurring item- 1.50!

Known sources of Hauyne are Mount Vesuvius, Lake Laach (Germany), Alban Hills (Rome) and Cripple Creek (Colorado, USA).

Kyanite:

Another blue gemstone belonging to the family of alumina-silicates, Kyanite is exclusively used in the electronic industry. Priced at $50-100 per carat, there are other varieties of Kyanite occurring in shades of pink, red, orange and blue-green.

Cerrusite:

Heard of the Light of the Desert! It is the largest known cerrusite ever discovered on the planet. Cerrusite means ‘White lead’, and this gemstone is actually an ore of lead. It is a prized collection owing to higher dispersion rating of 0.055 compared to diamond.

For an instant start:

If you wish to start with a safe foundation in gem collection, try out Burmese rubies, Sri Lankan emerald gemstone, Kashmir sapphire gemstone and Tanzanian garnets. You can easily build a respectable collection of real and marketable gemstones in less than a year.

Pearl is one of the oldest known gemstones. Along with amber, corals, jets, and ivory, the pearl is the only known organic gemstone that retains its place in the list of precious items in the world. Ivory and coral have witnessed a reasonable decrease in market share, considering the environmental regulations imposed on their extractions. However, as pearls make a wave of adulation across the world, there are some critical points you should know while buying them, especially related to their culture, surface finishing, and commercial selling.

Pearl farming:

Also called as pearl culture, pearl farming is a technology-driven science today. Cultured pearls are grown in controlled biological conditions using different varieties of molluscs. Depending on the family of bivalve molluscs, there are different varieties of pearls.

The pearl oysters used on pearl farming are:

-  Freshwater mussels
-  Marine pearl oysters

It is worth noting the fact that all shelled molluscs are known to produce “pearl” material in some form or the other. It is only the nacre secretion that gives the pearl its signature lustre and value.

Pearl finishing:

Due to the reduced term of pearl culture, the quality has significantly dropped. Thus, it calls for finishing process that gives the pearls their iconic lustre, reflection. refraction and diffraction properties. The degree of translucency heavily depends on the precision of finishing process.

Here are some of the accepted finishing treatments done on nacre pearls.

-  Polishing:

It is a common treatment done on pearls coming from the South Sea pearl. The pearl is tumbled in the concentrated brine solution, which removes the layers of mucus and tissues over the surface. Polishing is also done by bleaching the surface to make them appear brighter.

Polished pearls are available in cream, light pink and yellow-brown shades. Unlike natural pearls, polished pearls show better results when polished with abrasive solutions.

-  Maeshori:

Ever heard of heat treatment on pearls? Yes, Maeshori is a unique Oriental Pearl treatment that involves dipping of the Akoya pearls in a methanol solution. It effectively removes all impurities on the surface and also gives it a naturally brighter appearance, resembling the natural ones.

As far as duration of soaking is concerned, a pearl can be dipped in the alcohol solution for as long as 45 days! The treatment not only removes the impurity, but also heals the pearl of its flaws, cracks, and roughness.

-  Bleaching:

A rather corrosive pearl treatment, this is done only to give the surface a more uniform appearance. It is applicable to pearls with thin nacre shell. Pearls with thick nacre are kept away from this processing.

-  Buffing:

Often done to remove visible scratches on the surface, buffing with beeswax and chemical agents is a wasteful method that penetrates deep into the nacre. It is recommended only for minor scratches.

-  Lacquer coating:

Pearls with light lustre are coated with lacquer to improve brilliance. It is a temporary treatment that often wears out. Commercial pearls are coated with silicone polymer coatings, but it not a widely accepted treatment.

In a nutshell, the cost of pearls drops significantly if there is any visible sign of surface finishing. That’s why natural pearls command a higher price in the market.

Have you ever experienced a storm?

Jade is the calmest stone in the middle of the storm. No matter how hard the outside world seems, this is the gemstone that maintains its calmness and thus, influences a person’s mind and keeps him at peace. Those who are going through the toughest phase in their lives can surely keep this stone in their pockets and expect to manage their temper.

A Jade gemstone is said to be the best friend to all those who either find it too difficult to adjust to a particular group or are loners.
Please go through the following to know about the marvelous benefits of Jade gemstone:

1.  This is the gemstone for someone going through some sort of guilt related to their past: Every individual has his own story. Every story has its own secrets. People cherish their secrets but dwell in the guilt of all kinds. Jade gemstones help you get rid of all kinds of guilt in your heart.

2.  Extreme cases of ‘defeatism’ are also treated with the help of a Jade gemstone: Defeatism is an attitude to accept defeat without repelling it. A Jade gemstone discourages defeatism in your heart and encourages you to fight for what’s right.

3.  This gemstone supports people belonging to the medical industry: If you are in the medical industry, you must wear a Jade gemstones to reap all sorts of career benefits. Nurses, doctors and all kinds of medical practitioners can benefit from this stone.

4.  It is said to be a symbol of faith and harmony: Faith and harmony are two important things in every person’s life. This stone helps you trust others and be at peace.

5.  Military personnel can also benefit from Jade gemstones: Military professionals can also boost their careers by wearing this gemstone.

6.  This stone is said to be the crystal of love: If you know that you deserve love in your life, this stone gives you the power to find your true love.

7.  If you have been going through trust issues in your life, Jade gemstones can help you win or trust others: Do you find it difficult to win the trust of others? Then a Jade gemstone promises to help you win the trust of anyone and everyone around you.

8.  Those who have gone through some sort of a surgery can expect quick recovery when they start wearing Jade gemstones: Recovering quickly after a surgery is not as easy as it is when you start wearing a Jade gemstone.

9.  A Jade gemstone is worn by the ones with reproductive disorders (particularly the male gender): There are a lot of reproductive disorders in men that are treated by a Jade gemstone.

10.  This is the gemstone that soothes the mind: A Jade gemstone ensures to calm your mind and give you all the peace that you want.

There are thousands of people who go through different kinds of sleep disorders. Jade gemstones help in treating sleep related issues and promise to bring good dreams to those who wear or keep them. These stones improve self-dependency.