Buying Gemstones Online

5 Factors That Will Affect Your Choice of Gemstone

Whether you are a fan of amazonite, apatite, aquamarine or emerald, the vast amount of choice available on the gemstone jewellery scene can leave the savviest of shoppers cold. Whilst the ease of shopping on the net can be enjoyed by all, the online jewellery world in particular makes the shopping experience rather difficult for those looking to add to their gemstone collection or buy a jewellery gift for a loved one.

As a leading provider of the most comprehensive collection of gemstone jewellery in the UK, we understand more than most why finding the sterling silver or gemstone pieces that are right for you is a difficult task. But we’re here to help with our guide to buying online so you can purchase a high quality piece with confidence. Check out the five factors that every gemstone jewellery fan should be aware of when buying online…

Gemstone Cut

Depending on the type of gemstone you are shopping for, the cut of the stone will often determine its overall value. But its cut isn’t just determined by the shape of the finished piece, the surface area of the stone will also give an indication of its quality, and a well-proportioned and well-cut stone will enhance the piece’s wider brilliance, colour and light reflection.

Gemstone Clarity

Finding a flawless gemstone is often an impossible task, however, buying a piece online that has minimal marks, inclusions and blemishes may heighten its value. Whilst with diamond's clarity is everything, for many more gems, opting for a natural stone is often more profitable. Natural gemstones however, that have not undergone treatment, are rare.

The transparency of the stone will also tell you more about its quality. Generally the more light that can be diffused through the stone, the more valuable the piece will be.

Gemstone Colour

The gemstone collection we stock here online is the perfect demonstration of the sheer number of colours available. Whilst your choice of colour comes down to taste, a stone in your favourite colour that is intense and bright, with minimal cloudiness, is considered particularly high quality.

Gemstone Carat

As the saying goes – size isn’t everything, and the carat or unit weight of the stone is not always a factor in determining its value. If the stone is small, flawless, vivid in colour and well-cut, it is certain to be more valuable than a stone that is large, treated and full of inclusions.

Gemstone Treatment

As mentioned earlier a natural stone is much more valuable than a stone that has been treated. There are many reasons why a stone would have been treated, the main reason being to enhance colour and hide visible flaws. A number of treatment methods are used, from dyeing the stone and filling the flaws to heating the gem and permanently changing its colour.

Shop for high quality gemstones in a range of shapes, widths, lengths and designs right here at Booth and Booth.