| We share with our earliest ancestors a desire for | | | | or diamonds. The main difference was established |
| jewelry and beautiful objects. Gems, Jewelry and | | | | that a precious gemstone was considered such |
| Charms & much royal regalia reveal a | | | | for it's brilliance, beauty, durability and rarity. |
| tradition of self adornment in the application of | | | | Where in general a semi-previous gemstone |
| magic and rituals which have been around for | | | | possessed only 1 or 2 of these qualities. |
| thousands of years. Some of our oldest jewelry | | | | Even in the earliest use of gemstones the value |
| has been found in graves 20,000 years old. Much | | | | was established by great beauty or perfection. |
| of this consists of shell, bone and ivory necklaces, | | | | The brilliance, luster, fire and color all determined |
| along with polished stones. We have no idea the | | | | the value & desirability of a gemstone. It |
| significance these objects held for their owners, | | | | was only in more modern times that the |
| but in later times gemstones were used as | | | | hardness of a gemstone became a determining |
| symbols of divine and earthly power, displaying | | | | factor in it's value. It was measured by a device |
| wealth & status. They were believed to | | | | known as the "Mohs Scale". In addition to the |
| protect the wearer. The materials most widely | | | | hardness of a gemstone, the clarity became of |
| used by the ancients in their jewelry were stones, | | | | great issue. Eventually stones were graded on the |
| polished to a high luster. As time wore on, | | | | clarity and whether the stone had any inclusions |
| became precious gems and semi-precious stones. | | | | and also the size of the inclusions. |
| Mankind has long been attracted to gemstones | | | | It wasn't until more modern times that the study |
| since ancient times, and archaeologists have found | | | | & science of gems, known as "Gemology", |
| many gemstones that had been formed into | | | | was established. The grading and value of a |
| jewelry. The prime requisite for a gem was that | | | | gemstone became much of an anthropological |
| it must be beautiful in the eyes of the beholder. | | | | study, as it is a mineralogical one. |
| The beauty could be found in many forms, the | | | | Gemstones because of their remarkable beauty |
| various colors, even the lack of color, the brilliance | | | | and rarity are significant in helping us understand |
| and sparkle and the fire that came from deep | | | | the history of mankind. The human race has |
| within the gem. | | | | sought to protect itself behind walls of mysticism |
| Many civilizations regarded gems as miraculous | | | | and superstition reinforced by the spiritual leaders |
| and endowed with powerful mysterious effects. | | | | with gems used as talismans that were used in |
| Different stones were endowed with sometimes | | | | mysterious ceremonies and could be easily hidden. |
| overlapping & very different attributes. The | | | | In modern description of "Gemology", is the |
| Diamond, for instance, was thought to give it's | | | | scientific study of gemstones involving the study |
| wearer strength in battle and protect against | | | | of mineralogical fundamentals involving formations, |
| ghosts and magic. Such beliefs persist in modern | | | | genesis, physical properties, all used in the |
| times. This can be seen in the practice of wearing | | | | identification of gemstones, including a basic |
| a birthstone. In today's times ingenious marketing | | | | knowledge of structural, crystallographic, chemical |
| has installed in people a great pride in the | | | | and physical characteristics and properties of |
| possession of a rare and beautiful gemstone. | | | | gems. This combined with the way gemstones |
| Throughout the ages many stones became | | | | are fashioned considering the many different cuts, |
| known as semi-precious, which generally means | | | | brilliance, fire, etc. comprise the area of gemology. |
| any gemstone other than sapphire, emerald, ruby | | | | |