The purchasing of a gemstone can be a daunting prospect if you have no prior experience. We have outlined some of the basic areas to take into consideration before making a decision.
Always remember that every gemstone is unique! Prices of 2 similar looking stones may vary drastically due to various factors. These factors include; slight variations in color that could be the difference between a fully fledged blue sapphire and a color change sapphire (Color change from Blue to Violet-ish Blue in incandescent light), origin (A Kashmir blue sapphire is likely to cost more than a Blue Sapphire of similar traits from Madagascar), Treatments (Unheated Sapphires are always expensive compared to Heated Sapphires), Cutting (Perfection in the cutting) etc.
Unlike the 4Cs that are taken into consideration when buying Diamonds, we believe that Colored Stones have 6 Cs. The Cs are the factors to be taken into account when making a purchase decision for a gemstone.
- Character
- Color
- Clarity
- Cut
- Carat Weight
- Certification
1. Character – Character refers to the quirks and traits of a gemstone that makes it beautiful. This may be a unique combination of the other 3Cs (Color, Clarity, Cut). Ex: There was a buyer who was willing to pay a higher price for a sapphire that had an inclusion resembling a dragon. There are other individuals who perceive certain inclusions as miniature meteor showers within the gemstone. To each their own! This is what we love about gemstones, they all hold different values in the eyes of different people. The buyer’s choice of the gemstone is a reflection of their individuality.
2.Color – This is perhaps one of the most important Cs. Especially because it is the first thing that anyone notices from a distance! Color consists of 3 dimensions; Hue, Tone & Saturation.
Hue – Refers to the basic category of color. Ex: Red, Blue, Yellow.
Tone – Refers to the lightness/ darkness of the hue. Ex: Sky Blue (Light) vs Navy Blue (Dark)
Saturation – Refers to the color’s strength and purity. Ex: Cornflower Blue vs Royal Blue
The three dimensions of the color world:
Hue: The Equator;
Tone: The Vertical Axis;
Saturation: The Horizontal Axis
Different combinations of the 3 dimensions which results in the Color, is deemed attractive to different individuals. However, it should be noted that, intense colors generally carry a higher price in comparison to lighter colors. The Colored Stone Co. aims to make it possible for our customers to buy gemstones across all color ranges, from a Sky Blue Sapphire to a Royal Blue Sapphire and anything in between!
3. Clarity – Clarity refers to how free the gemstone is of inclusions and blemishes. Inclusions occur internally on a stone, whereas blemishes are on the surface of the stone. Ex – Cavities and/or scratches on the exterior of the stone. Do note that these are individual identifying characteristics of the stone and does not signify anything negative about the stone.
In most cases blemishes don’t greatly affect the clarity of the stone. It is generally assumed that the large blemishes can be polished off. Inclusions are however of a greater concern since it can affect the beauty and sometimes the durability of the stone.
The three main questions to be asked is:
- Are inclusions eye-visible?
- Does it affect the Gemstone’s Beauty?
- Could it affect the durability of the gemstone negatively?
Depending on the answers to the above questions, the price would vary.
4. Cut – This is the C which reflects the experience and skill of the gemstone cutter (Who is human!). In other words, the true potential of the stone is unlocked by the cutter! Cut consists of the form, style & quality.
There are 4 forms for gemstones of which the 2 main types are faceted and cabochons. The other two are Tablets and Carvings.
Cabochon Blue Sapphire Faceted Blue Sapphire
Faceted gemstones can come in various shapes, the classic shapes are round, emerald cut, oval, cushion, pear, and heart. Triangular, square, marquise and rectangular (baguette) shapes are also popular. It should be noted that shapes such as Round, Oval, Cushion and Emerald Cut are typically more expensive due to the symmetry factor!
The popular styling of faceted gemstones are brilliant cut, step cut and mixed cut. Cabochons are gemstones that are smoothly polished and have dome-like surfaces.
In terms of cut quality, there are 3 aspects to look at:
- Shape Appeal - as the term suggests, this is to do with the overall shape of the stone. The symmetry, proportions etc.
- Brightness – this refers to how much is refracted outwards in an attractive way. This depends on how the cutter has cut the stone and if they’ve gotten the proportions and angles right. If this isn’t happening sometimes there may be a ‘window’ in the middle of the stone which makes the stone look somewhat transparent.
- Sparkle/ Lustre – self-explanatory as the term suggest. This is sometimes also called Fire.
At The Colored Stone Co. we recut stones before presenting them to you in order to unlock the maximum potential that a stone has got to offer.
5. Carat Weight – As obvious as it seems, this is to do with the weight of the stone. Generally expressed in Carat (CT/CTW) NOT Karat (that which is used for gold). The price of a stone increases exponentially as you move up in size. This is due to the rarity of good clean gemstones as you move up in size.
For your information;
1 gram = 5 carat
Gemstones are priced in 2 ways:
- Total Price = Per Carat Price x Carat Weight
- Per Carat Price = Total Price / Carat Weight
- Type of Stone – Ex: Ruby, Sapphire, Spinel etc
- Dimensions
- Weight
- Shape
- Cut
- Color grade – Ex: Royal Blue, Pigeons Blood etc.
- Country of Origin
- Treatments – Ex: Heated, Unheated etc
- Some labs also mention the inclusions in the stone
There may be few more additional information on the certificate depending on the lab.
It is also important to note that labs are run by qualified gemmologists and no matter how objective they may try to be there is always going to be an element of subjectivity when judging colors of gemstones. Ex – GRS color grading of pigeon’s blood ruby, may vary compared to a lab like Gubelin.
At The Colored Stone Co. we certify our gemstones from 3 main labs based in Sri Lanka and GRS (an internationally renown lab).
- Gemological Institute of Colombo (GIC)
- Advanced Gem Testing Lab (AGTL)
- Emteem Gem Lab (EGL)
- Gem Research Swiss Lab (GRS)
The default certificate is provided complimentarily along with the purchase of the stone. The default choice of lab for most stones sold by The Colored Stone Co. is GIC, however there will be occasional certifications from EGL, AGTL & GRS too. If you specifically require certifications from a particular lab do let us know before placing your order, and a fee will be charged separately.
We hope you find the stone you are looking for! If you don’t, do let us know and we will try our best to source it for you.
Contact us at sales@thecoloredstone.com or click here for custom orders