The Gem Event is coming! The Gem Event is coming!
One of the most common questions we hear is, “What makes a gem special?” How do we decide what’s a gem and what isn’t? These are awesome questions that our friends at Artinian Gems have set out to answer.
While it’s easier to show than tell, Artinian does say this:
To qualify as a gemstone, a mineral must be beautiful, rare and durable enough to be worn as jewelry. While this is the main criteria, there are certain rocks like lapis lazuli and organic materials like amber and jet that are not minerals and are often considered to be gemstones as well. Most gemstones are extremely hard with a rigid crystalline structure. They are prized for their lustre or other unique qualities that make them valuable. The chemical composition of a gem determines most of its properties, like shape, hardness, durability and color.
Is that all Greek to you? Don’t worry — we at Dickinson Jewelers like to consider ourselves gem experts! We can’t wait to help you learn all about gems at our event on August 14 and 15. In fact, we’re so anxious to help that we want to show off a few of our favorites! We went behind the scenes with the Dickinson family to share their favorite gems and help you get an idea of what’s out there.
Libby Dickinson - Apatite
You don’t have to be hungry to enjoy this gem! This gorgeous stone comes in a variety of colors, but Libby especially enjoys the turquoise. Other famous varieties include cat’s eye apatite and asparagus stone apatite.
Many gemstones have mythological or historical ties, and apatite is no different. Apatite has been known to promote healing in humans and is called the learning stone. Interestingly, apatite got its name from the Greek word for “deceive” because of how similar it can look to other gemstones.
Kathy Dickinson - Zircon
A diamond girl through and through, Kathy loves the rich colors zircon comes in as well as its intense sparkle. She says that out of all the gems, zircon sparkles most like a diamond!
Don’t let the name fool you, though. This isn’t cubic zirconia. Instead, zircon is a brilliant gem in its own right and one of the oldest substances on earth. Zircon found in Australia can be up to 4.4 billion years old, making this gem useful as well as gorgeous since scientists can use it to learn more about the early world. Zircon comes in many colors, but blue, bright red, and green are considered to be the most valuable.
Claude Dickinson - Paraiba tourmaline
Leave it to Claude to love one of the most rare gemstones! Paraiba tourmalines are only found in one state (Paraiba) in Brazil. They’re known for their otherworldly glow that seems to come from inside the stone, which is colored turquoise or blue-green.
Here’s how rare the Paraiba tourmaline is: there are 10,000 diamonds mined for every one Paraiba tourmaline (shoutout to The Jewellry Editor for that stat). That’s pretty amazing! Excuse us while we drool over this gem…
Ready to learn more about gems? Join us August 14 and 15 for the Gem and Design Event of the Year! We'll feature gorgeous gems from around the world, and our staff is ready to tell you what makes their favorite so special.