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Gem Buying Guide How to Buy a Gemstone. The bad news is that you will have to read ALL our gemstone buying advice: gemstones are much more complicated than diamonds (which is why most jewelers don't know much about them). Gemstones have no grading system, each variety has individual value factors, and within each gem variety, quality dramatically affects price: a ruby can be worth $10 or $1,000,000. Like diamonds, gemstone quality and value are evaluated according to the "four Cs": color, clarity, cut, and carat weight. Unfortunately, colored gemstones are also commonly treated, so that also affects value for ruby, sapphire and emerald in particular. Let's start with the most important gemstone value factors, color, clarity, and carat weight. Look at the color in different kinds of light Judging Clarity The next most important factor affecting value is clarity: clear transparent gemstones with no visible flaws are the most valued. Pastel colored gemstones show inclusions more, so they generally detract more from the value for pale stones. Just like diamonds, the carat weight also affects the price: large gemstones are more rare, so the price per carat is higher. Consider the Gem Alternatives We recommend buying the best quality gemstone you can afford. If your budget is too small to buy the quality you want, consider buying a higher quality gemstone from an unusual variety. In general, gemstone pricing within each variety follows common sense: the more beautiful the gemstone, with the final visual effect of all the quality factors, the more valuable it is. Here is a thumbnail guide to prices of different gem varieties, assuming good, but not great, quality: · BIG THREE: ruby emerald and sapphire Expect to pay between $250 and $10,000 per carat. · NEW CLASSICS: tanzanite, tourmaline, aquamarine, imperial topaz, and tsavorite garnet These gemstones are sometimes available in standardized sizes but fine stones are one of a kind and jewelry will have to be made specifically for the �stone. · CONNOISSEUR GEMS: black opal, jadeite, pink topaz, chrysoberyl cat's-eye, fancy colored sapphires, demantoid garnet and alexandrite. · COLLECTOR STONES: spinel, zircon, moonstone, morganite and other beryls, and many rare gemstones. · AFFORDABLE GEMS: amethyst, white opal, citrine, ametrine, peridot, rhodolite garnet, blue topaz, iolite, chrome diopside, kunzite, andalusite, and ornamental gemstones such as lapis lazuli, turquoise, onyx, chrysoprase, nephrite jade, and amber. These gems combine great color with reasonable prices and good availability: prices for these gemstone range between $5 and $100 per carat. Gemstone Treatment Most gemstones are treated. Trade accepted treatments: · heating ruby and sapphire · putting organic resins and wax in emerald · heating amethyst, aquamarine, citrine, tanzanite, tourmaline, precious topaz, and zircon · irradiating blue topaz (it is all irradiated: if you want it, accept it) · waxing jadeite, lapis lazuli, and other ornamental gemstones · dying onyx black (it isn't) · bleaching pearls white Taboo treatments: · glass filling of ruby · diffusion treatment of sapphire · epoxy resin in emerald (the trade is currently fighting about this one: it's more permanent so in a sense may be better but it offends traditionalists and who knows what these things will look like in 20 years.) · dyeing opal black, lapis blue, or any other dye treatment · epoxy treatment of jadeite (known as B-Jade in Hong Kong) Trade-accepted treatment comes into play as a value factor at the very top of the market: fine ruby, sapphire, and emerald that is certified to be untreated will command a premium. Another value factor that mainly affects the gems in the top 1% of the market is country of origin, which we discuss next… Gem Buying Guide Gemstone Origin Country of origin matters in the prices of high-end ruby and sapphire but it doesn't have to matter to you. A few things you need to know about origin if you are thinking of paying for one of these premium gemstones: · GIA �doesn't grade origin. rare birthmarks rare birthmarks