Gemstones Information

On this page you have some gemstones information.

Types of Gems

The two main types of gems are mineral (crystalline) gems and organic gems, which may or may not form crystals.

The organic gems are formed by biological processes and they include amber, corals, seashells, pearls, anthracite, copal, and jet.

The mineral gems that are formed by inorganic processes include diamond, emerald, sapphire, ruby, opal, aquamarine, turquoise, jadeite, peridot, tourmaline, topaz, garnet, moonstone, sunstone, chrysoberyl, lazurite (lapis lazuli) and others.

 types of gems
Gemstones Information: Different types. ©collecting-rocks-and-minerals.com

Gemstone Names

While there are about 4000 minerals on the Earth, only 130ish are gemstones, and only 50ish are those more known and often-used gems. They are so rare because unusual conditions are required for their formation. They have to be not only beautiful to be named gemstones, but they also have to be hard enough to be able to be cut to make jewelry. The names of gemstones vary very much - some are called according to their mineral name, such as tourmaline and chrysoberyl, others have got a different name from their actual mineral name such as ruby, emerald and sapphire.

 gemstone names
Gemstones Information: Names. ©collecting-rocks-and-minerals.com

Collecting Gemstones

Collecting gemstones is at least as popular as is collecting rocks and minerals. In fact, I think it is more popular than rock collecting, even though it's not my cup of tea. There are many people out fossicking gemstones and selling them in local shops and markets, where they excitedly talk about how they found them. Many people who collect gemstones also make jewelry and sell it. A nice hobby I think. Personally I am not into it because I don't get excited about beautiful stones anymore - I like to find and collect interesting stones - the rocks that tell me a story ;-)

 gemstone identification
Gemstones Information: Identification. ©collecting-rocks-and-minerals.com 

Gemstone Identification

Because gemstones are also minerals (they are one type of minerals - the type that forms beautiful crystals), identifying gemstones typically happens in the same way as mineral identification. You have to check the crystal shape; colour and streak (as with minerals, don't trust the colour only); transparency and lustre; cleavage and fracture; and hardness and specific gravity (density).

 gemstone meanings
Gemstones Information: Meaning. ©collecting-rocks-and-minerals.com

Gemstone Meanings

People have always liked different gemstones to mean something, so gemstone meanings is a popular subject. It is often thought that ruby means love, emerald means friendship, agate means luck, garnet means self-confidence, amber means creativity, opal means enthusiasm, rose quartz means fertility and aquamarine means stamina (in fact, there are more gemstones involved in the big picture, and they sometimes overlap.

 healing gemstones
 Gemstones Information: Healing. ©collecting-rocks-and-minerals.com

Healing Gemstones

Gemstones have also long been known for their healing properties. Crystal healing has been used for thousands of years by different peoples to improve immune system, heart, lungs, blood, eyes, throat, kidneys, liver, bones, cure eating disorders, relieve stress and anxiety, boost memory and filter unnecessary information to the brain. And crystal meditation is becoming more and more popular.

 famous gemstones
 Gemstones Information: Famous. By edgeplot via Flickr.com

Famous Gemstones

Some famous gemstones through the history have been St Edward's Sapphire (worn by the British Edward the Confessor about 1000 years ago), Black Prince's Ruby - a Koh-i-Noor diamond that was given to the Black Prince in 1360s; and the Hope Diamond which was given to King Louis XIV in 1660s, was stolen during the French Revolution, resurfaced in 1800s and was bought by King George IV. After his death it was bought by Henry Hope and others, and in 1900s it gained a reputation to bring bad luck when a few of its owners were killed.

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