gemstone

Also known as gem, jewel, fine gem, precious stone, semiprecious stone

thumb|upright=1.1|Group of precious and semiprecious stones—both uncut and faceted—including (clockwise from top left) diamond, uncut synthetic [[sapphire, ruby, uncut emerald, and amethyst crystal cluster.]]

AI overview

A gemstone is a mineral or crystal that is valued for its beauty and rarity, and can be either precious (like diamonds, sapphires, and rubies) or semiprecious (like emeralds and amethysts). Gemstones matter because they are prized for jewelry and decoration, and their value depends on qualities like their natural rarity and how they are cut and polished.

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Wikidata facts

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Commons category: Gemstones

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~35 min read

Article

31 sections

Contents

Characteristics and classification
Value
Grading
Cutting and polishing
Colors
Treatment
Early history
Heat
Radiation
Waxing/oiling
Fracture filling
Bleaching
Socioeconomic issues in the gemstone industry
Synthetic and artificial gemstones
Types
Synthetic corundum
Synthetic beryls
Synthetic quartz
Synthetic spinel
Creation process
Verneuil flame fusion process (melt process)
Czochralski process (melt process)
Flux growth (solution process)
Hydrothermal growth (solution process)
Characteristics
History
List of rare gemstones
In popular culture
See also
References
External links

A gemstone (also called a fine gem, jewel, precious stone, semiprecious stone, or simply gem) is a piece of mineral crystal which, when cut or polished, is used to make jewelry or other adornments. Certain rocks (such as lapis lazuli, opal, and obsidian) and occasionally organic materials that are not minerals (such as amber, jet, and pearl) may also be used for jewelry and are therefore often considered to be gemstones as well. Most gemstones are hard, but some softer minerals such as brazilianite may be used in jewelry because of their color or luster or other physical properties that have aesthetic value. However, generally speaking, soft minerals are not typically used as gemstones by virtue of their brittleness and lack of durability.