Education

Gemstones are natural minerals or other desirable materials cut and polished for ornamental purposes. Gemstones may be transparent, translucent, or opaque. To qualify as a gemstone, a material must fulfill four parameters: it must posses beauty, durability, availability and rarity.

There are currently well over 3000 recognized minerals produced by natural Earth processes. Of those known minerals, there are less than 300 which qualify and can be considered as gem quality material. Of those 300 minerals there are about 80 which truly meet the definition of "gemstone" that are commonly crafted in today's gemstone market. In addition, not all gemstones are composed of non-organic minerals as various organic materials also qualify as gemstones both historically and in today's market place.

On the Jewelers Ethics Association Education pages you will find an expanding list of known gemstone materials including their properties, place in history, known treatments and various marketing names.
-Veronica Poteat
Bachelor of Geology

The following education pages were authored by Cynthia B. Reuschel, RGA and contributed by Search4Gems. If you would like to link to the education information, please link to the original pages at Search4Gems.com

Gemstones | Diamonds | Pearls | Opals | Precious Metals | Jewellery Care

Disclosure is great, but what good is it if you don't understand what's being disclosed? Consumer education is key in today's gemstone and jewellery market, and these pages present valuable information consumers can use to help them make informed buying decisions.

	Gemstones With gemstones, colour is king! Here you'll find an explanation of the GIA standards for colour and clarity grading, a list of the most common treatments and enhancements, and an introduction to synthetic gemstones.
	Diamonds There's way more to diamonds than the 4 Cs! Our Diamonds page offers lots of useful information on diamonds, and an introduction to fancy coloured diamonds.
	Pearls Lovely, unique, organic gems, pearls have been prised for centuries. Journey with us around the world and discover how pearls are formed, the different types of pearls and where they grow, the criteria for pearl grading and more.
	Opals Mysterious, firey opals are considered unlucky by some, but not by us! Find out about the different types of opals and how they are graded, and discover the true beauty of this October birthstone and national gem of Australia.
	Precious Metals There are many metal choices in today's market. Here we present the familiar jewellery metals, silver, gold and platinum, as well as palladium, the newest metal trend in fine jewellery.
	Jewellery Care Here are some great tips to help you keep your fine diamond and gemstone jewellery clean, sparkling and in good condition, and a few words about appraisals and insurance.