Gems HQ

Loose gemstones were always very popular because of their cheapness comparing to the cut and mounted gems. Loose gems are almost the same precious stones but they are uncut. Most loose gemstones are minerals that were shaped as flawed crystals or rough stones within rocks below the surface of Mother Earth. All the physical and optical properties used to identify them depend on their specific chemical composition and atomic structure.

There are several reasons why loose gemstones are being sold at the markets or online stores. First one is the possibility to set or cut them as purchaser desires. A lot of people search for a particular gemstone but not all stores have their own craftsmen and good jewelers to set it. Second reason is that set or mounted gems cost much more than loose gemstones. It is very common to find the gem you like, and it could be too big or too expensive. Pity isn’t it? Here is an example – rubies are very expensive stones, but if you (or the other purchaser) will buy it at a small carat loose – it appears to be affordable.

To make a precious gemstone from the loose one it should be cut. That is not easy work to do and very skillful polishing and cutting is a big plus. The cut depends on such loose gemstone features as hardness, dispersion, birefringence, cleavage, flaws, different inclusions, color transparency and lot more. The most popular and wide spread cuts are cabochon cut, brilliant cut and so called fancy cut. Cabochon cut is all about curved, rounded outlines with a smooth and polished surface. It is frequently used for opaque or strongly colored stones. Star-rubies, garnets, sapphires and moonstones are common loose gemstones often found cabochon cut. Brilliant cut is makes lots of facets on the surface of a gem in order to increase the gemstone sparkle. It is used mostly for the transparent loose gemstones with good optical features (like diamonds). A fancy cut is a term for any cut that is not square or round, or maybe is harder to execute then a basic geometrical shape. Some fancy cuts include the princess, heart, oval, radiant, and the emerald shapes.

Almost all of the loose stones found are dull and dusky. They actually have small luster (it is the amount of light reflected from gemstone’s surface) but the maximum brightness and refractive index (amount of light rays bent by a gemstone) is achieved only after the successful cut.

But in spite of their low quality there are a lot of people who collect loose gemstones. The main reason is very simple and obvious. Have you ever thought why people collect postal stamps, coins, photographs? Almost all of us once tried to collect some of these. People collect loose gems usually for their entertainment, aesthetic and educational value. And if it is not the matter of interest then all these loose gemstones may be appreciated in value and may be sold for a profit.