Introduction to Gemstones

Throughout history, gemstones have fascinated mankind, from ancient civilizations to the present day. Their beauty and rarity have always made them a prized possession and many of them were considered to have magical properties ranging from bringing good luck to healing abilities.

In fact, the power of gemstones was considered so great that they became a vital part of daily life, with certain gems being considered vital to healing, whether they adorned the cup that bore the medication or were used as a treatment on their own.

Gemstones are, essentially, pieces of mineral that have unique properties which give them their beauty. These minerals are cut and polished by man to enhance their attractiveness. However, not all gemstones are of mineral origin as some of them are organic in nature, such as amber, while others are nothing more than beautiful rocks, such as lapis-lazuli.

In the past, gemstones were categorized into precious stones and semi-precious stones, with diamonds, emeralds, sapphires and rubies being considered precious and all the others semi-precious. This was mostly based on their rarity but has since changed as they are all considered ‘precious’ because there are many gemstones that are as rare and expensive. There are many other gems that are sold in a similar price range, from Amethysts to some incredibly rare Tourmalines.

The value of a gemstone lies not only in its rarity and beauty, but also due to the fact that their beauty doesn’t fade with the passage of time. If a gemstone is properly cared for then it can last virtually forever.