Gemstones are fascinating objects. A gemstone is a pure and tangible concentrate of value, which never loses its appeal, whether as an ornamental object, a collector’s item, or simply an investment.

Gemstones – Beauty

Beauty is essentially a subjective concept. The appreciation of precious stones is commonly based on objective criteria, like the play of colors, color, transparency, and high reflectivity.

Gemstones – Rarity

Rarity too is a criterion which has more to do with the beholder than the beheld. It is connected to that part of human nature that prefers things that are hard to come by. Despite their intrinsic qualities, no one would wear rubies for ornamentation if they were as common as pebbles on the beach.

The remaining two properties—hardness and chemical resistance are truly objective because they are physical and chemical.

Gemstones – Hardness and Chemical Resistance

Hardness is essential to a gemstone as scratching of the surface or abrasion of the edges would spoil its appearance. Similarly, poor chemical resistance would eventually lead to partial disintegration, depriving the stone of value by destroying its brilliance.

A gemstone has both subjective and objective properties, fact and fantasy, fashion, superstition, and reality. Gemstones have defied the passage of time and will surely continue to fascinate future generations.