| For many years now, semi-precious and precious | | | | essentially rocks or minerals that have been taken |
| stones have always been used by men and | | | | from under the earth and then enhanced by the |
| women alike. Similar to the modern-age jewelry | | | | artisans through the process of cutting and |
| that a lot of people wear today, the most | | | | polishing. The finest and the rarest of these |
| dominant features of pieces are usually beautiful, | | | | stones and minerals are what turn out to be |
| attractive and colorful stones that are used as | | | | gems or semi-precious and precious stones. |
| metallic embellishments and ornamentation. These | | | | For the precious stones, the most valuable would |
| stones that are used for the crafting of various | | | | be the emeralds, rubies, sapphires and of course, |
| fine jewelry are basically divided to two types: the | | | | diamonds. Pearls are also sometimes considered |
| semi-precious stones and the precious stones. | | | | as precious stones. However, they are not |
| These stones are heavily used in the jewelry | | | | actually stones but are still known for its beauty, |
| market as variety and value is set and | | | | elegance and value. |
| considered. Now although artistic merits are | | | | The most valuable semi-precious stones would be |
| generally subjective, the values of these two | | | | the amethyst, turquoise, lapis-lazuli, aquamarine, |
| types of stones would be dependent on their | | | | topaz, peridot, moonstone, tourmaline, opal, zircon, |
| quality and rarity. A lot of people who are in the | | | | chrysoberyl and alexandrite. Some other |
| market for jewelry that have these kinds of | | | | semi-precious stones that are not as valuable, |
| stones such as general consumer and collectors | | | | though valuable still would include jade, garnet, |
| usually would prefer the rare stone to the | | | | chrysoprase, agate, azurite, bloodstone, coral, |
| beautiful one. | | | | malachite, carnelian and a lot others. |
| These semi-precious and precious stones are | | | | |