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Table of Contents
Gemstones refer to any minerals or noncrystalline materials of organic origin given at a high value once cut and polished, revealing further its characteristics such as their beauty, color, rarity, and durability.
See the fact file below for more information on Gemstone, or you can download our 31-page Gemstone worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.
Key Facts & Information
GENERAL INFORMATION, HISTORY AND COMMON USE
- Gemstones are fine gems, jewels, precious stones, or semiprecious stones.
- Since the early records of history, gemstones have served as a decoration or an important jewelry piece. Also, gemstones are used as religious symbols, amulets, good luck charms, and decorative ornaments.
FORMATION: FROM ELEMENTS TO GEMSTONES
- Elements are fundamental atomic building blocks that any non-nuclear chemical reaction cannot break down into simpler components. It is where other materials are being made.
- Minerals are described as naturally inorganic found in the Earth’s crust and are made up of a particular pattern of elements. An example of a mineral is quartz, which is made of only oxygen and silicon.
- Rock is an inorganic matter and a natural substance where several minerals get together to form. Granite is a rock composed of quartz, feldspar, and other minerals. There are three basic types of rocks: igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic.
- Igneous rocks form gemstones depending on the elements present, cooling time, and the environment. Amethyst, citrine, diamonds, and topaz are some of the gemstones in this type of rock. Igneous rocks are hard and dense and can be formed in two ways:
- Intrusive (or plutonic) rocks are formed from the cooling and crystallization of magma as it remains inside the Earth’s crust.
- Igneous rocks form gemstones depending on the elements present, cooling time, and the environment. Amethyst, citrine, diamonds, and topaz are some of the gemstones in this type of rock. Igneous rocks are hard and dense and can be formed in two ways:
- Continuation of igneous rock types:
- Extrusive rocks are formed from lava on the surface of the Earth.
- Sedimentary rocks are hard and dense and formed from eroded fragments, other stones, or plant or animal remains. Gemstones such as opal and zircon are included in this formation when water mixes with minerals on the Earth’s surface.
- Metamorphic rocks are formed when an igneous, sedimentary, or early form of metamorphic rock is originally transformed by high pressure, heat, or the intrusion of fluids. This heat and pressure can form gemstones such as aquamarine, emerald, jade, and ruby.
- Crystal is a mineral that stands on its own as it is not part of a rock or any aggregated solid. It has an inorganic shape.
- A mineral can be a part of a rock, and a crystal can be a mineral, but not all crystals are minerals. However, more than one type of crystal can be formed from a mineral with the same chemical formula.
- Gemstones are formed when a mineral crystal is cut or polished to give different values. All rocks are crystals, but not all crystals are gemstones.
FEATURES AND CLASSIFICATION OF GEMSTONES
- A gemstone has to be durable, beautiful, and appealing. This could appear throughout its color, limpidity, iridescence, opalescence, asterism, chatoyance, pattern, and luster.
- Gemstones are classified into two categories: Precious and semi-precious stones.
- Precious gemstones compose the hardest gemstones as ranked on the Mohs scale, meaning they have much harder scratch resistance. These precious stones are diamonds, emeralds, rubies, and sapphires.
- Semi-precious gemstones compose all other gems with a lower rank in the Mohs scale, with less hard scratch resistance. Tourmalines, spinels, aquamarines, amethyst, and topaz are some examples of semi-precious gemstones.
- These classifications, however, do not determine nor reflect the value of a gemstone, as some semi-precious gems are valued higher than some precious stones.
15 EXAMPLES OF GEMSTONES
- Amber is a gem popularly known for being used in identifying remains of life millions of years ago on Earth inside the gem. It comes from a fossilized resin, an organic material. Amber falls under 2.0 to 2.5 on the Mohs hardness scale (MHS). It has a fantastic fragrant smell that can be used as a perfume. Amber is commonly yellow, orange, or brown, while rarely blue or green.
- Amethyst is considered the most valued quartz among its variants. It appears in mainly purple and falls under seven at the MHS. Camillo Leonardi believed that Amethysts sharpen intelligence and help eliminate evil thoughts. From its Greek word amethystos (“not drunk”), it was thought that you would remain sober as you drink all night when you have an Amethyst in your mouth. St. Valentine wore a purple amethyst ring with a cupid engraved on it.
- Aquamarine is a gem named after the color of seawater in Latin (“aqua marina”), with its greenish blue to blue appearance. Coming from the mineral Beryl, this gem is mined at high elevations in the Karakoram mountain range located in Pakistan. It falls under 7.5 to 8.0 in the MHS.
- Citrine is the top best-selling yellow-to-orange gem for its color, durability, and affordability, among other variants of quartz. It commonly appears in yellow, orange, and orangy-red because of traces of iron in the structure. It falls under seven at the MHS. It comes from the old French word citrin (“yellow”).
- Diamond is composed of carbon and is considered the hardest material on Earth that can only be scratched by another Diamond, measuring ten at the MHS. Its clarity, color, cut, and carat weight determines its quality. It appears colorless and made up of its mineral form. Diamonds are formed at high temperatures and pressure and are found 100 miles below the Earth’s surface.
- Emerald is a precious gemstone that is vibrant green in color. Coming from the mineral Beryl, this gem stems from its oldest forms dating back 2.97 billion years ago from South Africa. It falls under 7.5 to 8 in the MHS. Cleopatra was known for her passion for this gemstone.
- Garnet is a gemstone whose name comes from the Latin word granatus (“grain”). The garnet family of gems is considered one of the most complex in the world, with several varieties among the group. Variations of this gemstone group appear in all colors and fall under 6.5 – 7.5 under the MHS. In Egypt, a red garnet bead necklace was found on a grave that dates back more than 5,000 years old.
- Jade is known for its ornamental use in East, South, and Southeast Asia art. In addition, it served its purpose as a weapon, tool, and ritual object during the Stone Age. This gemstone can refer to two separate gems: Nephrite and Jadeite. According to Confucius, Jade is like virtue, and heaven is represented by its brightness. In China, a jade disk with a hole in the middle represents the symbol of heaven. This gem commonly appears green and falls under 6.5 to 7 and 6.0 to 6.5 in MHS. It is also believed to heal kidney ailments.
- Lapis Lazuli is a rock known for its bright royal blue color produced from Lazurite, of which it is a variety. Renaissance painters used Lapis to create an “ultramarine” blue pigment. Lapis Lazuli has a hardness of 5 to 6 on MHS and was valued by civilizations of Mesopotamia, Egypt, China, Greece, and Rome in Ancient Times.
- Opal, formed from Hydrated Silica, is a group of gemstones known for their unique appearances individually and a long time to mature, taking about 5 to 6 million years.
- Because of the phenomenon called “play of color,” when light enters the gem, flashing it with a spectrum of colors, no two opals look similar. Opal also falls under 5 to 6.5 in the MHS.
- Pearl occurs in various colors, but mostly in white and cream. It is the only gem in living creatures, specifically salt and freshwater mollusks. It is composed of Calcium Carbonate and falls under 2.5 to 3.0 in MHS.
- Ruby is a gemstone composed of Corundum and also falls under 9 of MHS. It also appears red, caused by the element Chromium. The red fluorescence light created by the gem was used to create the first laser in 1960. The name comes from the Latin word ruber (“red”).
- Sapphire is a gemstone also composed of Corundum and also falls under 9 of MHS. This gemstone appears mainly in blue and every color but red. The name comes from the Latin word sapphirus (“blue”).
- Topaz is a crystalline mineral commonly appearing in golden yellow, orange, blue, and even colorless. It is pleochroism, meaning it can display several colors in different directions. It has varieties of imperial and mystic topaz, and it falls under 8 in the MHS. Aside from its jewelry purpose, several colors of topaz are coordinated to several US States. Orange Topaz is the state gemstone of Utah, and blue topaz is the gemstone of Texas.
- Turquoise is a mineral that falls under 5 to 6 in MHS. The blue to green appearance of the gem is caused by the element Copper (for blue) and Chromium and Vanadium (for green). Production of an artificial imitation of turquoise was first done by Egyptians.
MODERN BIRTHSTONES
- Several gemstones are assigned to different birthstones that provide myths and powers attributed uniquely to each gemstone. But it is one’s preference to believe these or not.
- Mostly, people correlate their birthstone with their birth month.
- It is believed that when you wear your birthstones, it will bring you protection and good fortune on your side. However, when one wears the wrong birthstone, it will bring bad luck to the wearer itself.
Gemstone Worksheets
This fantastic bundle includes everything you need to know about the Gemstone across 31 in-depth pages. These ready-to-use worksheets are perfect for teaching kids about the Gemstone, precious stones or minerals that have been cut and polished and often used as embellishments in jewelry, ornaments, or other decorative items.
Complete List of Included Worksheets
Below is a list of all the worksheets included in this document.
- Gemstone Facts
- Rocks Apart
- Gem Tiers
- Exchange Gifts
- Lights, Gems, Action!
- Diamonds in the Sky
- Um, Actually. Gems!
- A Colorful Gemstone
- Gemboard
- Geology at the SNMNH
- August: Salt Air
Frequently Asked Questions
What are gemstones?
Gemstones are precious or semi-precious minerals that are cut and polished for use in jewelry and other decorative items. They are valued for their beauty, rarity, and durability. Some examples of gemstones include diamonds, rubies, sapphires, emeralds, and opals.
How are gemstones valued?
Gemstones are valued based on several factors including color, clarity, cut, and carat weight. Gemstones with rare and vibrant colors, high levels of transparency and perfect cut are considered more valuable than those with less desirable characteristics.
How are gemstones mined?
Gemstones can be mined in a variety of ways, depending on the location and type of deposit. Underground mining is used for large deposits, while open-pit mining and alluvial mining are used for smaller deposits. Some gemstones are also mined by hand using simple tools, while others are mined using advanced machinery.
How to care for gemstones?
Proper care can help maintain the beauty and longevity of gemstones. They should be stored in a safe and secure place, away from heat and direct sunlight. They should also be cleaned regularly with a mild soap and water, and dried with a soft cloth. Avoid exposing gemstones to chemicals, such as chlorine or cleaning solutions, as they can damage the gemstones.
What are synthetic gemstones?
Synthetic gemstones are man-made versions of natural gemstones. They are created in a laboratory using various techniques such as flame fusion and hydrothermal growth. Synthetic gemstones are cheaper than natural ones and often have similar properties but are not as valuable.
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Use With Any Curriculum
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