Gemstone Basics – Part 2
Colour is not the best way to determine what a stone is. The colour is a clue, but not the answer as gemstones usually come in a variety of colours for each species. Just because it is blue doesn’t make it a sapphire, red doesn’t make it a garnet and purple doesn’t make it an amethyst.
These are the most commonly recognized colours for each of the mentioned stones, but gemstones have a specific chemical composition and the presence of different minerals within the composition creates different colours.
Some examples of gemstones that are easily confused include sapphire, ruby, garnet, beryl, iolite and amethyst. Sapphires come in every colour of the rainbow except red with the red being referred to as ruby. Beryl comes in a variety of colours and the red variety can closely resemble garnet and ruby. iolite and tanzanite are purple stones that can be confused with amethyst.
Most people have a particular colour I mind when looking for a gemstone rather than a concern over the species of the stone. Ask your jeweller about your options for stones based on what colour you want. Different stones have different price points and contain different properties that will affect how you wear and care for them.
Conversely, if you know you want a particular variety of stone (for working properties, historical significance, rarity etc.) ask about colour options so you know the full range of possibilities for the stone in your new piece.
If you are uncertain about the types of stones in your jewellery, ask a jeweller to get an appraisal for you before doing any work on the piece of jewellery. Most jewellers are not gemologists, but many will be able to identify stones based on their personal studies or experience. Goldsmiths will rarely give you a definitive answer on an expensive stone without an appraisal.
See last month’s blog for part 1. An overview of the different types of gemstones and their suitability in jewellery.
