How Much is Amethyst Worth in America
High-quality amethyst is very affordable in sizes ranging from 1 -10 carats and the cost per carat is between $10.00 to $100.00 per carat. Siberian amethyst is regarded as the best in the world due to its unique red flash over dark purple. Amethyst comes in a range of tones and saturations but it is […]
Gemologist Guide to Identifying Citrine
Citrine is very common and you’ll see it at every jewelry store and rock and mineral show. Most of the time you’ll find citrine crystals and clusters being sold by deals while the jewelers sell faceted versions and cabochons fashioned into trendy jewelry. Due to it being fairly inexpensive, citrine is worn and collected by […]
Gemologist Guide to Identifying Amethyst
Amethyst is very common and you’ll see it at every rock and mineral show you attend. Most of the time, amethyst has been cut into different shapes and sizes and you can even find carved pieces. The higher quality material is used in jewelry, cut into cabochons, and beads. Due to it being fairly inexpensive, […]
How Much is Spinel Worth
High-quality blue or red spinel is still very affordable in sizes under 1 carat, costing between $200 to $500 per carat, 1-2 carat sized stones are priced between $600 to $1,200 per carat, and larger stones, which are extremely rare, are priced between $8,000 to $10,000 per carat. Mahenge spinels are now regarded as the […]
Gemologist Guide to Identifying Opal
Opals are very common but there are lesser know varieties as well. It is recognized as the October birthstone and most of the material is sourced from Australia. There are multiple deposits of opal across the world and each one has a unique look due to the matrix it grows in. Individual opals can vary […]
Gemologist Guide to Identifying Alexandrite
Alexandrite is one of the most sought-after precious gemstones because it has a unique attribute that other precious gemstones don’t have. When it is placed in the sunlight, alexandrite shows a strong color change from bluish-green and red to purplish-red in incandescent light. A faceted alexandrite tends to have very few if any inclusions but […]
Gemologist Guide to Identifying a Star Ruby
Star rubies are well known and sought after outside of the U.S. market but for some reason, American consumers do not have the same appreciation. If you need help identifying a ruby then go here first. I wanted to provide additional information about identifying star rubies with their own article. Keep in mind star rubies can […]
Gemologist Guide to Identifying Star Sapphire
Star sapphires are well known and sought after outside of the U.S. market but for some reason, American consumers do not have the same appreciation. If you need help identifying a sapphire then go here first. I wanted to provide additional information about identifying star sapphires with their own article. Keep in mind star sapphires […]
Gemologist Guide to Identifying Malachite
Malachite is a very popular stone because of its bright, deep green color and banding. Add in a nicely polished cabochon or free-form polished piece and you have the ingredients for a great piece to add to your rock collection. At most rock and mineral shows you’ll see beads, cabs, pyramids, and carved animals made […]
Gemologist Guide to Identifying Azurite
Azurite may not be common or abundant, but it is well-known for its beautiful blue colors. Azurite’s characteristic deep blue to violet-blue hues are incredible and it can be found with its close cousin malachite. Azurite’s hardness is only 3.5 to 4.0 on the hardness scale. While it is easy to cut and shape into […]