Some Common and Uncommon Gemstones
Gemstones quite literally can take our breath away when we see them. Who hasn't seen a beautiful diamond or sapphire ring and exclaimed over it? Is it only their beauty that makes them so valuable? No, it also the durability of a gemstone and its rarity that makes them so appealing.
Most gemstones are minerals that occur naturally in the earth. (Pearls, of course, are created by oysters.) The most common of all gemstones is quartz, which is made of silicon and oxygen, two of the most plentiful chemicals or substances on the planet. Even though most people don't find such crystals unless specifically looking for it, it's still relatively ubiquitous in the gem world. In San Diego County, USA, where I live, it is not unusual to be walking in the backcountry and find pink quartz on or near the ground's surface.
One quality that determines the value of a gem is how rare it is. A diamond, believe it or not, is actually a pretty common gemstone. Although larger and higher quality diamonds are still relatively rare. And, the sales and distribution of diamonds are tightly controlled. This keeps the demand for diamonds characteristics useful for jewelry at a high value. Certainly perfect, flawless diamonds are discovered but one time among serveral million specimans.
Other gemstones,such as sapphires and rubies, are much rarer. These blue and red gems are part of the beryl family of minerals. Rubies are rarer than sapphires and top quality colors in both are extremely hard to find.
A mineral called benitoite is found only in the San Benito valley in California, where only a few hundred carats of it are unearthed each year. It is the state gem of California (gold is the state mineral) and is a hexagonal-shaped crystal. It can be cut and polished to produce a sapphire-colored gemstone.
Some gems are even rarer than bentitoite. They're so rare, that only three or four specimans exist in the world. And the location where the gemstone was found can make a big difference as well. While peridot is a fairly common gem, there were actually several carats of peridot discovered in a meteorite, making that one of the rarest gems ever! Another interesting Peridot and space connection occured with a NASA space mission. In 2001, NASA launched a probe (the Stardust mission) to image Comet Wild 2 and to collect samples of dust and gas as it passed through the comet's tail. After the probe's succesful return to the Earth, it landed safely on the desert floor of the Dugway Proving Grounds in Utah, analysis of the dust collected from the comet showed traces of the gemstone Peridot!
Whether a gemstone is common or uncommon, finding that special gem that you are looking for is not a rare event at Sparkling Diamonds. Visit our store by clicking any of the various menu items on the left. You will find many uncommon bargains on loose diamonds, gemstones, diamond necklaces, fossils and more.
About the Author: Scott Harker is the publisher of several websites including: Sherlock Holmes Pastiches, Harvest The Sun | Renewable Energy, To The Stars - Astronomy, Home businesses | Financial freedom, and On The Hook | Fishing Supplies.
News About Rare Gemstones
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