A Consumer's Guide to Gem Grading

Gem Grading

Introduction

It is obvious that the popularity of coloured gems is growing, but few people understand what they are buying, which might lead to a harsh surprise.

We'll go over some of the most important things to consider when buying a gem, such as care, cut, transparency, carat weight, provenance, and, of course, the need for a genuine gemological analysis to back up your acquisition, as well as what to do with it after you've got it!

The great majority of individuals who come to us for the first time have little to no experience with gems, other than what they see in the media. Even yet, it seldom aids them in gaining a thorough grasp of the object they plan to purchase.

“Colour” is one of the most essential pricing elements in a colour gem

As a result, when individuals come to us looking for a certain gem, such as a ruby, we usually inquire if they want it due to the name or because of the colour it is associated with. One of the defining elements of pricing a colour gemstone is the strength of the colour. While the so-called top colours usually fetch the greatest costs, they are rarely the most popular.

Is it true that the same colour exists in more than one gem type?

The ability to demonstrate the contrasts between these jewels is critical to the customer's comprehension. While the overall colour of red is the same, the hues of red vary greatly across gems due to the way their crystal shines, which may or may not be pleasing to the sight.

Wonder how amazing two gems of the same source may be in terms of colour and tinge when you start experimenting with other stones.

As a result, understanding the theory is rarely enough to help a customer make a decision. Having adequate counsel and seeing the distinctions between these gems with one's own eyes is critical to making a smart buy. It's also important to know if a gem has been polished or if it's in its natural state 

To begin, one must learn about treatments.

The conventional heat treatment of gems, glass filling or hybrid type jewels, and oiling, gem grading are among the numerous treatments that one should be aware of. Because of the worth and rarity of the origami, each treatment has a clear impact on pricing.

You must always prefer a genuine, untreated diamond over one that has been processed, it is important to understand that all procedures are not created equal, and the price of cured gems is not the same. As a result, while an untreated stone is usually always more costly than a treated diamond, a heated gem has a higher value than a composite gem, and, in a strange twist, oiled gems, because they are untreated, have a smaller return than composite gems.

Is there a relationship between clarity and weight and the price of a gem?

Lastly, the gem's clarity, which in the case of rubies is inversely proportional to its carat weight. Finding a small, polished gem is usually simpler than finding a large one. The more costly a stone is, the cleaner it is, and the larger it is, the better.