gemstone prices

Exclusive summary about Gemstone Prices by Ron Nash

Do gemstones prices make sense?

Consider the case of one of the rarest and expensive gemstones, diamond. In the colored gemstone world, there is fortunately no cartel, though many forces try to influence market demand and perceived value. Consider for example the terms "precious" and "semi-precious." As most everyone knows, the precious stones are diamond, ruby, sapphire and emerald. It would be hard to maintain prices for the other "precious" stones if one of the group sold for only $5 a carat! So amethyst was demoted.

Gemstones - Price per Carat

One gemstone carat is 200 mg, so there are 5 carats in 1 gram. The price per carat of different gemstones can vary enormously, literally from $1 a carat to tens of thousands. Here is a brief summary of the factors that determine gem prices:

1. Gem Variety. Some rare gemstone varieties -- such as sapphire, ruby, emerald, tsavorite garnet, tanzanite, lapis lazuli, spinel and alexandrite -- command a premium price in the market. Other varieties, such as many types of quartz, prices are much lower.

2. Color. Ideal colors vary by gem variety of course, but generally the colors that are most highly regarded are intense, vivid and pure. Gems that are too light or too dark are usually less expensive than those of medium tone.

3. Clarity. A gemstone that is perfectly clean, with no visible inclusions, will be priced higher. In general, the cleaner the stone, the better it's brilliance.

4. Cut and Polish. If the gem color is quite light, cutting a deeper stone will provide a richer color. Conversely, a dark tone can be lightened by making a shallower cut. But in every case, the facets should meet cleanly and the surface should be well polished with no scratches.

5. Size. For some gemstone varieties, such as quartz, the price per carat is fairly constant as the weight of the stone increases. But in the case of many rarer gems, price increases in a non-linear way as the weight increases.

6. Shape. In general, round gems tend to command a premium in the market. Rounds are much less common than ovals, since ovals are usually cut to preserve as much weight of the raw material as possible.

Posting by Sefa di 18:09