What is the difference between gems and gemstones

Pearls rank between 2. Considered the anniversary gemstone for the 10th year of marriage, black onyx is chalcedony, a variety of the microcrystalline quartz.

The hardness of black onyx is between 6. A form of silica that is like glass but similar chemically to quartz, is known as opal. Within this mineral, a variable amount of water is found. The hardness of opal ranges from 5. Blue topaz is a beautiful stone that comes in a vast range of vivid blue hues. It is a silicate mineral consisting of aluminum and fluorine.

Very hard in nature, blue topaz is rated 8. Sodium potassium aluminum silicate is a lustrous mineral known as moonstone. The visual effect, or sheen, is caused by light diffraction from within the micro-structure which is composed of feldspar layers.

On the Mohs hardness scale, moonstone is between 6. What are Gemstones? How are Gemstones Classified? Which Gemstones are Precious Stones? Diamond A precious stone formed from pure carbon in a crystalline formation that is typically clear and usually colorless is known as a diamond. Emerald Emerald is a green-colored gemstone. Ruby Ruby is a precious stone which is typically red.

Sapphire Also a variety of corundum, sapphire is a precious gemstone. Pearl Pearls are hard objects that are created within the soft tissue of a shelled mollusk or conulariid. Black Onyx Considered the anniversary gemstone for the 10th year of marriage, black onyx is chalcedony, a variety of the microcrystalline quartz. Opal A form of silica that is like glass but similar chemically to quartz, is known as opal. Blue Topaz Blue topaz is a beautiful stone that comes in a vast range of vivid blue hues.

Moonstone Sodium potassium aluminum silicate is a lustrous mineral known as moonstone. Other crystal classifications include orthorhombic, monoclinic and rhombohedral. Crystals are also categorized by their crystal system , which refers to a subcategory of the above lattice systems. At the end of the day no one is going to judge you hard on the terminology but its fun to get a little deeper insight. Whoa, that just got nerdy fast. Link HERE for tickets and info.

Sign In My Account. Crystals vs. Gemstones - what are the differences? The Answer… A gem is a rare mineral. Classification Systems The way we classify both gems and crystals varies, though a gem that is crystalline will occur and fall into both categories. Gems are then typically cut to size after their value is determined Crystals, on the other hand, are usually classified by their shape. The quality, the rarity, the provenance are to be taken into consideration.

In regards the so-called « precious stones », only four prevail: diamonds , rubies, emeralds and sapphires. Sometimes you will can see that a pearl, an opal or a jade are listed as a precious gemstone, but more often they are considered semi-precious.

Traditionally, these four precious stones have been the most expensive and sought after stones. The list goes on and on, but some of the more common ones are: alexandrite, agate , amethyst , aquamarine , garnet , lapis lazuli, moonstone, opal, pearl, peridot, rose quartz, spinel, tanzanite , tourmaline, turquoise and zircon. This separation between precious and semi precious has no real scientific backing. For example, emerald is a variety of a beryl, so are aquamarines.

Emerald is precious while aquamarine is semi precious. When this categorization came about, it was mainly due to the value and rarity differences between the 4 precious gemstones and the rest.

Today some semi precious gemstones can be worth much more than a precious stone. As an example, many natural pearls garner huge prices, often worth more than a low quality precious diamond, ruby, emerald or sapphire.