| Like diamonds, the value of colored gemstones, | | | | they tend to be, and defined standard clarity |
| depends largely on "the 4 C's". Those are Color, | | | | grades for each type. You can see their Clarity |
| Cut, Clarity, and Carets. Unlike diamonds, the value | | | | Grade Chart here: |
| of a colored gemstone is effected most by the | | | | Cut refers to how well the stone is faceted. It |
| color. | | | | should be well proportioned, and symmetrical. The |
| Color is judged by three criteria: Hue, Saturation | | | | facet junctions (where the facets meet) should |
| and Tone. Generally, stones with strong, pure | | | | be crisp and come together in a single point. The |
| hues are are more valuable. For instance a slightly | | | | surface should be smooth and well polished. The |
| orangish-red Ruby will be much less valuable than | | | | quality and the craftsmanship of the cut has a |
| a stone that is pure red. Saturation refers to the | | | | profound effect on the overall beauty of a gem |
| intensity of the color. Highly saturated colors are | | | | and so has a significant impact on its value. A well |
| very vivid. Less saturated colors tend to be more | | | | cut stone will have more brilliance and sparkle than |
| grayish or brownish. Tone refers to how light or | | | | a poorly cut gem. Although, keep in mind that a |
| dark a gemstone's color is. For example, pink | | | | stone can be re-cut. In some cases it is worth |
| would be a light tone of red. Stones with a very | | | | the expense and the loss of some caret weight |
| dark tone will be almost black. The standards are | | | | to re-cut an otherwise fine gem. |
| different for different types of stones, but | | | | "Caret" refers to the weight of the stone. |
| generally the best stones are ones with pure | | | | Obviously a bigger stone is worth more than a |
| hues, vivid colors and moderate saturation (not | | | | smaller stone of the same quality. With some |
| too dark or too light). | | | | varieties of gems, a larger stone will be much |
| Clarity takes into account the inclusions in the | | | | more valuable "per caret" than a smaller one, |
| gemstone. Inclusions are spots, fractures, | | | | because larger sizes are much more rare. This is |
| imperfections, or anything that interferes with the | | | | the case with sapphires. A 3 caret sapphire will be |
| passage of light through the stone. The spots can | | | | worth a lot more than Twelve 1/4 ct. sapphires. |
| be small crystals of other minerals or sometimes | | | | In other cases, like Citrine, where large sizes are |
| tiny droplets of water or gas trapped within the | | | | readily available, the price per caret will be about |
| stone. Generally, a stone with fewer inclusions is | | | | the same, or may even be less for the larger |
| more valuable. Virtually all stones have some | | | | stone. |
| inclusions. Some varieties tend to have more than | | | | These are the basic criteria used to evaluate |
| others and so inclusions are more acceptable in | | | | colored gemstones. Obviously this is a complex |
| some stones. The best example of this is | | | | subject. Continue to learn more about each of the |
| Emeralds. They almost always have visible | | | | terms and topics mentioned here and look at a lot |
| inclusions and so their value won't be effected as | | | | of gemstones and before long you will be able to |
| much by inclusions as would an Amethyst, for | | | | easily separate the quality stones from the less |
| instance. That is because there is a lot of very | | | | desirable. Combine this with a knowledge of prices |
| "clean" Amethyst available. The Gemological | | | | and market conditions and you will be able to |
| Institute of America has classified all common | | | | recognize a good deal when you encounter one. |
| gemstones into 3 types, based on how included | | | | |