Each gemstone is a magical creation of the earth. And, possesses unique properties that makes each one special.

Sapphire

History:
Sapphires have long been coveted by Royals and associated with romance. In fact, Prince Charles made headlines with the sapphire and diamond ring he used to seal his betrothal to Lady Diana Spencer. So, why did he choose the sapphire?

Because going back to biblical times, sapphires were considered the gem of the heavens for their fiery brilliance. In the Middle Ages, clergy wore blue sapphires as it was believed to attract heavenly blessings.

Sapphires are also regarded as the symbol for truth, sincerity and constancy.

Major Sources:
Blue Color - Australia, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Burma and also India, Kampuchea, Kenya, Tanzania, US. Red Color (Ruby) - Thailand, Burma, Kampuchea, Sri Lanka, Kenya and also Afghanistan, India, Pakistan, Tanzania. Fancy Colors - Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Australia, Burma and also India, Kampuchea, Kenya, Thailand, US.

Sizes:
All colors of sapphires typically occur in melee sizes to 5 ct and can rarely find faceted stones up to several hundred carats..

Hardness:
9 on Mohs scale (very hard)

Toughness:
Excellent - except in stones with large fractures or inclusions

Stability:
Heat - excessive heat can cause change in color or clarity, and can damage or destroy fracture and cavity fillings.
Light - generally stable, but irradiated yellow or orange stones fade quickly.
Chemicals - attacked with difficulty, may lose polish if boiled in a diamond cleaning kit, soldering flux or pickling solution containing borax will etch surface of the stone.

Availability:
Fancy colors is limited to scarce. Limited for larger, fine quality rubies and blue color.

Treatments:
The most common treatments for sapphires are heat and lattice diffusion.

Cultured South Sea Pearl

History:
Since the dawn of civilization, women have known that pearls - and nowadays cultured pearls - are the ultimate in luxury. Pearls conjure up images of Jackie Kennedy, Princess Diana and Grace Kelly.

Because pearls come from water sources, they've embodied the mystery, power and life-sustaining nature of water. Europeans have believed that they symbolize modesty, chastity and purity.

The cultured south sea pearl is sought after by connoisseurs for its grand size and beauty and is considered the "Rolls Royce of Pearls" by many.

Due to pollution, over-fishing and economic factors natural south sea pearls have virtually disappeared from the mainstream market. Cultured pearls - pearls that have been grown with human intervention and care - are readily available.

Major Sources:
The main sources for cultured south sea pearls are Australia, Indonesia and the Philippines.

Sizes:
Cultured south sea pearls range in size from 8mm to 18mm. And, the most common bodycolors are white, cream and golden. But also can be found in other colors.

Hardness:
2.5 - 4 on Mohs scale (very soft and easily abraded)

Toughness:
Usually good - but can be variable due to aging, dehydration

Stability:
Heat - excessive heat can cause burning, splitting, cracking or to turn brown.
Light - generally stable, but heat from intense light can cause dehydration and nacre cracking.
Chemicals - attacked by all acids, hair spray, perfume, cosmetics and acid perspiration.

Availability:
South seas production is limited

Treatments:
Cultured south sea pearls are only washed and lightly buffed.

Tanzanite

History:
Since tanzanite was first discovered in Tanazania in 1962, it's become highly coveted and sought after. In fact, the price in the past two years alone has tripled! Tanzanites are particularly rare because they come from only one location in the world.

Adding to tanzanite's uniqueness is its strong pleochroism property - its color changes depending on the viewing angle. And, will appear violetish blue from some directions and purplish from others.

Source:
Tanzania

Sizes:
Typically sizes range from 1 to 5 cts.

Hardness:
6-7 on Mohs scale

Toughness:
fair to poor due to cleavage and sensitivity to thermal shock

Stability:
Heat - sudden temperature change can cause cracking.
Light - stable.
Chemicals - attacked by hydrochloric and hydrofluoric acids.

Availability:
limited

Treatments:
Virtually all tanzanite is heated to induce a rich blue color. This treatment is stable and routine.

Source: Gemological Institute of America Gem Reference Guide and Essential Colored Stone Reference Guide

How To Buy A Gemstone

Every gemstone possesses beauty in its own unique way. And, can be assessed for its degree of beauty, rarity and durability.

Beauty is an individual assessment. The sparkle and brightness of a pink sapphire will capture one woman's heart while the silky opulescence of a south sea pearl will leave another woman breathless.

When looking at a particular gemstone, its the combination of color, symmetry and clarity.

Color

Color is considered the most important aspect of a colored gemstone. It's the first you notice when looking at a purplish-blue tanzanite or a purplish-pink sapphire. Color encompasses hue, tone and saturation.

Hue:
Gemstones that exhibit the purest color are the most highly valued. Hue is the first impression of a gemstone's basic color. A sapphire that's close to pure blue is more highly valued than one that's bluish-green.

Tone:
Tone is the degree of darkness or lightness of a gemstone. Usually the most attractive gemstone is one that's medium in tone. If a gemstone's color is too dark it may become subdues and lifeless. If it's too light, the color will be barely visible.

Saturation:
Saturation is a color's strength or intensity. Typically, the more vivid or intense a color, the more valuable it'll be. Gemstones with low saturation can look brownish or grayish.

For most colored gemstones, the most valuable colors fall within a medium-light to medium-dark tone with moderately strong to vivid saturation. These gemstones are the ones that'll really stand out. The colors will sparkle and mezmermize your senses.

Symmetry In Cut

Symmetry is the balance and harmony in a gemstone's cut. A properly cut gemstone enhances its:

• display of color by maximizing light return
• clarity through elimination or strategic positioning of inclusions
• carat weight through retention or sacrafice of weight from the rough material

In colored gemstones, there are a variety of cutting styles in addition to the traditional round, brilliant cut. These include the emerald, pear, heart, marquise, square and triangular cuts.

Well-cut gemstones will generally have 1/4 to 1/3 falling above the girdle when looking at it from a side view. The remaining 2/3 to 3/4 should fall below the girdle plane. However, due to color variations in gemstones, cutting proportions may not be exact. For example, a highly color saturated gemstone will usually be cut a bit shallower to allow for additional light. This will create a gemstone that's not too dark in color.

When looking at a gemstone from the top, it's very important that the top facets are equal and symmetrical. This will create an even display of light across the stone. This scintillation adds to the overall harmony and beauty of the gemstone.

It's also important to check for a smooth polish free of nicks and scratches.

Clarity

Clarity is a gemstone's relative freedom from inclusions and blemishes. While it's virtually impossible for a gemstone to be completely free of inclusions, gemstones with fewer inclusions are rarer and more valuable.

It's best to view inclusions in relative terms to the particular gemstone. Some gemstones naturally have very few inclusions such as aquamarine, citrine, kunzite, topaz and tanzanite. Stones such as emeralds and red tourmaline are almost always visibly included.

Weight

Gemstone weight is quoted in carats. One carat equals 1/5 of a gram.

Different gemstones may be slightly different sizes despite being the same carat weight. This is due to the density of the particular gemstone. A denser - or heavier - gemstone such as a ruby will be smaller than an amethyst of the same weight.

Smaller gemstones are generally cut in callibrated sizes while larger stones are cut symmetrically to highlight its value factors.