| Categories of Gemstones - There are many | | | | if unflawed. The main reason quartz can still be |
| different types of gemstones, and knowing the | | | | categorized as a valuable gemstone is that, while |
| different categories can help a collector or | | | | it IS easy to find quartz stones, finding a large, |
| enthusiast expand his repertoire greatly. Some | | | | perfect, and unflawed quartz crystal of jewelry |
| precious gemstones are so unique in chemical | | | | quality is extremely rare. Some examples of |
| composition and crystalline structure that they fall | | | | quartz gems commonly used in jewelry are onyx, |
| into their own categories, while others can be | | | | amethysts, citrines, and carnelians. |
| collectively lumped into one. Here are the major | | | | Beryl - this is a stone well known for it's beauty |
| types of precious and semi precious gemstones: | | | | and has elements in common with both |
| Diamond - diamond is it's own type of gemstone, | | | | chrysoberyl and quartz. It's basic chemical |
| and is well known for being the hardest naturally | | | | composition is similar to chrysoberyl, with beryllium |
| occurring substance known to man. Diamonds are | | | | and aluminum prevalent but mixed in with other |
| primarily high-carbon crystals that were fused | | | | trace elements. It's basic crystalline structure, on |
| under extremes of pressure and heat. Diamonds | | | | the other hand, is closer to quartz, being |
| themselves are not especially rare, with thousands | | | | hexagonal in nature. At it's simplest, beryl is |
| being mined throughout the world every year; | | | | actually transparent, while it's other colored |
| however, large diamonds of high quality are | | | | variants include emeralds and aquamarines. It can |
| extremely rare, and it is these which are well | | | | come in yellow and red shades as well, and these |
| known for setting the standards of diamond | | | | are referred to as "red" or "yellow" emeralds. |
| gemstones as the world's most precious stone. | | | | Jade - this is one type of gemstone originally |
| Corundum - this is the second hardest type of | | | | lumped into the same category as beryl. The |
| gemstone, and is primarily defined as being | | | | main reasons for this are because both can be |
| composed of aluminum oxide and various trace | | | | mined in similar places and they possess similar |
| minerals. The trace minerals create different | | | | textures, opacity, and appearance (just different |
| types of corundum, and perhaps the two most | | | | colors). Later on, chemical analysis showed that |
| well known examples of this type of stone are | | | | the elements which made up the different forms |
| rubies and sapphires. Rough corundum is not used | | | | of precious jade, namely nephrite and jadeite, |
| as a gemstone, but is used as an industrial | | | | were different from beryl completely, thus |
| strength abrasive element due to it's tough | | | | earning jade it's own category among gemstone |
| nature. | | | | collectors. Jade based stones are often composed |
| Chrysoberyl - this is the third hardest gemstone, | | | | of calcium and magnesium elements. |
| and while it uses aluminum oxide as a base | | | | Feldspar - this is a unique type of gemstone |
| element like corundums, it has high quantities of | | | | whose base material is tectonic in nature. It is |
| beryllium mixed in with it. Appearance wise, | | | | often found in areas of high geographic instability |
| chrysoberyls often come in a green to yellow | | | | like earthquake faults and volcanic chains. |
| shade, though their appearance is best known for | | | | Feldspar's basic chemical composition is made up |
| having the tendency to actually change color | | | | of very common elements found deep inside the |
| somewhat under different types of lighting. Cat's | | | | earth's crust. What makes it valuable as a |
| eye and alexandrite are two common | | | | gemstone is the same factor that makes a |
| chrysoberyls used in jewelry. | | | | diamond much more valuable than a lump of coal |
| Quartz - this is actually one of the most common | | | | that would normally contain the same elements as |
| types of mineral in the world and comes in a wide | | | | diamond. That is, with sufficient heat and pressure |
| variety of colors. It's main tendency is to form in | | | | applied, the tectonic elements fuse together to |
| hexagonal shapes and it makes an excellent prism | | | | make a rare red gemstone known as feldspar. |