Buying a gemstone is often a very different experience than buying a diamond. Gemstones are bought based on favorite colours, wardrobe matches, personality, and fashion trends. While gemstones are judged using the 4Cs, just as diamonds do, each is judged separately. For example, a sapphire is compared to another sapphire, but wouldn't be compared to an emerald or aquamarine. Choose your gemstone jewellery based on your personal preferences.
Colour & Clarity
Gemstone colour is different from judging the colour of a diamond. Every gemstone has a range of colour that runs from light to dark and more vivid to less vivid, with a small range of colour considered preferable. All of the families of colour are represented by gems of different types.
Gems also have internal characteristics called inclusions. Some gemstones are known for having many inclusions like emerald or for having few inclusions like citrine. Each gemstone will be graded for clarity differently.
Like diamonds, gemstones are measured using carats. A carat is equivalent to .2 grams or .007 of an ounce. Unlike diamonds, each gemstone has a different density, which determines its weight versus its measured size. A one carat citrine won’t measure the same as a one carat sapphire.