Guide to Gems and Minerals Price, Rock Values

The Earth is full of various types of gemstones and minerals. Each has different colour, pattern, crystal structure and so on. It is difficult to set value of a mineral and gems.

There is no specific standard to set price. It depends on the demands of buyer. However various professionals like traders, researchers and sellers have all together played roles in defining prices for gems and minerals. Here is a brief guideline about prices of gems and minerals and rocks. 

Intensity of Colour

A gem colour is very important for defining it's value. The more colour will be intense, deep with brightness, the more gems and minerals will have value. Colours increase the aesthetic beauty. 

Luster
Listed is related to upper surface brightness of a gem. Luster is another point by which a gem is valued. 

Size of Gems and Minerals
Size is very important figure to define the price. The more the size will be big, the more the gem will have value. Gem quality stones hardly come in big sizes like sapphire, ruby , Emeralds or other rare stones. if big sizes come in these gems , they start having intensive demand. Such type of gems in big sizes in firm of cut or mineral specimen are placed in exhibitions. One can see in huge variety of big size Quartz, Amethyst in Tuscon. Though being semi precious, they always catch the eye of buyer. 

Buy Raw Citrine for Faceting and Cabbing 

Quality of Transparency
Transparency is another characteristics to define it's value and price. Transparent gems gives more support to light to pass from them. The more light will pass, the more the gem will be brilliant after cutting. Transparency is judged by clarity of a gem further 

Shape of Crystals
Shape is important in both cut , raw and mineral Specimens. Gems are cut in various shapes like oval, round, square, emerald, year drop, triangular, rectangular etc. Similarly mineral Specimens are defined by complete shape of Crystals on matrix. The more the crystal will be complete and terminated, the more it will have a value. 

Presence of Matrix
In mineral Specimens, matrix play a very important role. Metrix not only increases the beauty of a Specimen but also it gives us clues about geological formation of a crystal. Example is below Sataknala tourmaline with quartz on feldspar.

Complete Formation of a Crystal

Crystals should be complete and in terminated form. During mining, use of dynamite causes breakage in the stones. Many precious crystals are broken during mining. Right formation is always valuable for a mineral.

Specimen should be Damage Free
A gem or a mineral may have damage during mining. Sometimes highly valuable gem is broken during mishandling while mining. Same goes with Mineral specimens. Gems and Minerals should be handled carefully to avoid possible fractures, cracks, or certain damages in order to gain worthwhile price and value. Repairing lower down the price. 

Location of a Stone 
Many gems and minerals are bought because of location also. Ruby is considered more valuable if Burma name is attached. Similarly blue sapphire from Kashmir will have more value. Paraiba Tourmaline from Brazil, Herkimer Diamond Quartz fr New York, Emeralds from Colombia, Swat, Panjsheir, Peridots from Supat Mine Pakistan, will have more valuable and pricy. Though same qualities colour are found in other locations also.

Demand of Gems and Minerals 

Demand is a universal law. The more anything will have demand, the more it will have value and pricy. This law is also applied to both gems and minerals. Demand is also set by trends in the market.

Rarity of a Stone 

Rarity also defines value. Many collectors like rare rocks and minerals.

What causes in lowering the value of a gem, rocks and minerals? 

Here are listed below some factors causing in degradation of a gems and minerals.

• Any kind of treatment lowers down the value like dyed, glass filling, irradiation, heat etc.
• other treatment like fracture filling hy glass, oil, resin is prohibited . Though minor oil in Emeralds is acceptable worldwide. Because of being brittle in nature, Emeralds need stability by minor oil.
• Changing shape of a crystal artificially lowes down the value.
• In mineral Specimens, polishing decrease the value. 
• Mineral Specimens treated by fixing glue on crystals also decreases the value and price.

Apart from above factors, there are many other reasons exist for definition of a price for gems and minerals. We will keep posting about more information regarding gems, rocks and minerals.