Tips For Buying Precious And Semi Stones

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Though diamonds are thought to be a girl's best friend and nothing says 'I Love You' better than a solitaire diamond engagement ring, there are other precious stones that are attractive and equally sought after that need to be bought with equal amount of caution. Everyone is fairly familiar with the four C's of buying diamonds namely carat, cut, color and clarity, but do you know what to lookout for while purchasing other gemstones?

Following points will prepare you for your next visit to the jeweler's store where you can be forearmed with whatever information is necessary so that you are not taken for a ride or find yourself paying more than the value of the stone.

Rubies, topaz, emeralds, sapphires, pearls, garnets and amethysts all need to be scrutinized carefully before buying. More and more people are going in for different colored precious gemstones to match their wardrobes. It is the age for a bold and daring look where dressing is concerned and having flashing and rather large gemstones to accentuate your dressing is what it is all about. While purchasing emeralds it is necessary to look for the brightest of greens. Try and notice if emeralds have any traces of yellow in their depths. Hold the stone up a light source and try and notice if there are any fissures or fractures in the stone which are filled by most adept hands to hide their flaws. Only a trained eye would be able to notice these minutest of blemishes so be wary.

Rubies are also a very prized precious stone. They are of great value and second only to diamonds. Here again color of the richest and deepest form is most suitable. Finding a perfect Ruby is somewhat rare and hence Rubies with slight flaws are also considered valuable. There are two types of Pearls - natural and cultured. Since natural Pearls are rare due to excess fishing and rampant pollution it is cultured Pearls that one would also find most reasonable and desirable. Imitation Pearls too are quite popular and it would take a very keen eye to notice the difference. One way of differentiating between a real and a fake Pearl would be to run it over your teeth. You will find that a genuine or cultured Pearl will have a rather gritty surface as unlike a fake Pearl which will be smooth. Cultured pearls have a particular deep rooted glow unlike a fake Pearl which will only glow on the facade.

Topaz is available in many colors. You can get pink, yellow, blue as well as green topaz. Again here one should look out for clarity of the stone when held up to the light. There should be no fine faults or fillers which will mar the lucidity and affect cost of the stone.

Next to Diamonds and Rubies, Sapphires are considered most valuable of precious gemstones. Deep blue in color, these stones are also available in deep purple, pink and even white. One needs to ensure that no heat treatment has been given to the stones to enhance the color as these actually devalue the stone though they look even more attractive.

Customers should to be vigilant and knowledgeable about what they are about to purchase and not rely entirely on the advice and knowledge of jewelers. A little bit of knowledge will go a long way in helping you buy something of great value for which you do not want to be cheated. These gemstones are expected to last a lifetime so some thought and care needs to be put into its purchase.