Gemstone Jewellery

Since time immemorial, the human race has created things that are beautiful to look at and to adorn their bodies. Jewelry is one of those things that humanity has been making for countless centuries and that been around since before the ancient Egyptians. It may have started with something as simple as a necklace made from animal teeth, or a bracelet made from the skin of a hunting catch, but as humanity discovered ways of manipulating the metals they found around them, things became interesting. Brass and copper, and later silver and gold, were soon beaten into ornaments such as rings, crowns and bracelets. It did not take long for people to recognize the beauty of some stones and gems and added them to make wondrous gemstone jewelry.

Gemstone jewelry is still very much in demand even today. Even though the fad of the early 20 th century for large gems and gaudy jewelry has somewhat passed, the beautiful natural stones of the earth are still being used today. A gemstone is usually a precious of semi-precious mineral that can be cut, polished and set within a piece of jewelry. Some gemstones are not actually minerals but rocks like lapis lazuli and others are actually organic materials such as jet and amber. Not that it matters to the people who desire them, however. Whether a mineral, a rock or an organic compound, gemstones are still quite in demand even today. Even when they are not used in gemstone jewelry, some gemstones are simply kept for their inherent beauty and luster.

Before a gemstone can be used to create piece of gemstone jewelry, it has to go through a bit of process to make it appropriate for the task that the crafter has in mind for it. In some cases they are used in the natural form they are found, but this is rare and usually not in jewelry. Most gemstones are both cut and polished before being used in gemstone jewelry. A gemstone that is cut into a smooth, dome shape are known as cabochons and those gems that are cut with a facet machine to make facets – like the stereotypical diamond – are known as facet gems. It is usually gems that are opaque – that is not clear – opals or turquoise that are cut as cabochons. They are cut this way to show of their surface colors. Clear or transparent gems are faceted to allow light to reflect and refract inside the gem at optimal angles to make it shimmer and shine beautifully. It is a very difficult task that requires a lot of experience as angles that are too shallow will not reflect light and can ruin the gemstone.