Earth Treasures Jewelers

Clarity refers to the absence of internal flaws called inclusions. Almost all gemstones contain some array of inclusions, even the most high-end specimens. The best value is found in gems that are lightly to moderately included. At Earth Treasures, we avoid heavily flawed commercial qualities.

Variance of severity among different gemstones

Due to the fact that each species of gemstones is formed under different conditions and extremes, some species, such as emerald, are typically found very heavily included, while others, like amethyst, are more commonly found near flawless. Therefore, one could rightly expect that a large premium in price would be expected for a near flawless emerald, but very little additional for the same clarity amethyst.

What you should look for

In general, if the inclusions weaken the stone’s durability, affect color, are easily noticeable, or are too numerous, they will significantly reduce price and value. The gemstone should look lively and pleasing to the eye. Remember that emeralds are by nature heavily included so expect to pay considerably more for less included ones. To a lesser extent, the same holds true for rubies while sapphires generally are more readily available in higher clarities. At Earth Treasures, our trained Gemologists avoid buying stones with problem inclusions and indicate clarities for all major gems we sell.

Although color is the most important criteria for determining the value of a gemstone, cut will materially affect how color is rendered to the eye. It affects the depth of color seen in the stone and influences the liveliness projected by the stone. If a gemstone is poorly cut, it will have a flat look or “windowed” appearance. This failure to cut close to critical angles causes unsightly reflections of the underside of its mounting or the wearer’s finger. A gemstone that is well cut will give off brilliance and sparkle from all angles.

What you should look for

Frequently, sapphires and rubies are cut excessively shallow or deep to utilize as much of the rough as possible. Very dark material can be salvaged by cutting very shallow bottoms (pavilions) to maximize light absorption and transparency. Very light colored material can be cut very deep intensifying color and allowing additional weight retention.

Avoid gems that look lifeless or lumpy in their setting. When selecting mountings with very small stones, see if “diamond cut” or “machine cut” material is available. Due to their superior cutting, these little gems will show maximum sparkle. At Earth Treasures, we avoid “native” or inferior cuts whenever possible and specialize in colored gems cut to exacting proportions.

It is important to remember not to confuse size with carat weight. From everyday life, you realize that different materials have different densities. A cast iron skillet is much denser or heavier than an aluminum skillet of the same size. The same holds true for gemstone species. As a general reference, sapphire and ruby are 1.2 times as heavy as diamond so a 1-carat ruby will appear smaller than a 1-carat diamond. While tourmaline is 1.2 times lighter than diamond, it will appear larger for its weight.

In addition, colored gems are cut differently from diamonds with different critical angles so size versus weight varies considerably. The bellies or pavilions of colored gems are generally cut with a greater bulge making them heavier.

For these reasons, we provide length and width dimensions as well as carat weight for all our primary gemstones.

The transition from the mine to the final polish is laborious and challenging. The majority of gemstone rough is not suitable for faceting and fashioning into exquisite jewelry. The miners and cutters must work together to utilize as much material as possible. Hundreds of years ago, techniques such as heating of rubies and sapphires, oiling of emeralds, and bleaching of pearls were developed to improve their appearance. Such practices are not harmful and are considered acceptable by the gemstone industry.

However, there are many unethical enhancements that exist in the marketplace and you should only deal with gemologically trained jewelers who can distinguish natural from altered gems. Glass filled, diffusion, and synthetics are readily offered undisclosed on the internet to the unsuspecting.

Here are some general guidelines in caring for you gemstone jewelry:

• After wearing, wipe your gemstone jewelry with a clean, soft, slightly damp cloth.
• Store items separately in a jewelry box…not jumbled together.
• Do not expose gemstone jewelry to hot tubs, chlorine pools, or harsh chemicals.
• Hair spray, perfume, and perspiration may cause jewelry to become dull. Apply before putting on jewelry.
• Do not subject gemstone jewelry to sudden temperature changes.
• If you have an active lifestyle, take extra care with some types of gemstones. Emeralds, for example, are brittle and should not be worn when doing household chores or other damaging activity.
• Be careful with ultrasonic cleaners. Some gemstones such as emeralds, turquoise, and pearls can be damaged.
• Although sapphires and rubies are 2nd only to diamonds in hardness, they can scratch each other so never let gemstones rub against others.
• If you ever have a specific question regarding the care of your gemstone jewelry, you can call and speak directly with one of our gemologists.