Did you know that all gemstones have three things in common? Beauty, Rarity and Durability. That’s because in order for a mineral or organic compound to be classified as a gemstone, it must have these three characteristics. These three factors are what make a gem desirable. But just because something is used in jewelry that doesn’t make it a gem. Of about the 3000 minerals discovered, only about 100 of them qualify as gems.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but one accepted definition of beauty is that it’s a combination of qualities that delight the senses and appeal to the mind. Not everyone will react the same way but the item would still have visual appeal. What really makes a gem beautiful?

Diamond: Made of the same carbon but with a different crystaline structure!

It’s actually the specific internal arrangement of atoms, or its crystal structure. An easy way to understand this is to compare Diamonds and Graphite. Both are made of essentially

Graphite: Made of pure carbon

purely carbon atoms. Yet one is transparent and the hardest known gem, the diamond. And it can be cut into one of the most beautiful and brilliant things on Earth. The other, Graphite, is nearly the opposite. It’s opaque, soft and black. As a consumer, you probably would never even think about the crystal structure but it’s still pretty interesting. What the eye sees and interprets as beauty is the gemstone color, symmetry (shape and proportions) and surface appearance (luster and polish).

Please see our next blog for a discussion on rarity. We are just getting started on our educational series covering everything that goes int

o creating beautiful gemstone jewelry from gemstone creation, mining, treatment and jewelry manufacturing.