Types, names and colors of precious stones for jewelry and jewelry: a list, a brief description with photos. How to distinguish a natural real stone from a fake, from glass in jewelry?

Classification of precious stones. Varieties of precious stones by color. How to determine a real stone among many fakes, imitations and hacks?

Content

Today, specialists in jewelry are much more complicated than their predecessors. If a few decades ago a genuine gem could easily be distinguished from fake even visually, then in the world of modern technology and progress it is almost impossible to do this by eye.

In addition to the well -known glass hacks, imitators of expensive stones from cheaper minerals, a new product has appeared on the jewelry market today - a stone grown in laboratory conditions. Such a creation of human hands visually looks no worse than a mineral created by nature for many decades, but it costs many times cheaper. How to distinguish a genuine natural stone from a fake or unnatural stone? What precious minerals do exist?

What stones, gems and minerals belong to precious noble stones: classification of precious stones

It will not be easy for a beginner to understand the complex classifications of precious stones. The fact is that today there are quite a lot of them: Sobolevsky, Klyuga, Kyivlenko, Gurich, Bauer-Ferman, etc.
In order not to stop specifically on each of the classifications, we will try to compose one, generalizing, excluding facing stones from it:
The first category of stones is precious stones (the most expensive, valuable stones). This category of minerals includes diamond (diamond), ruby, emerald, sapphire, alexandrite, etc.
The second category of stones is semiprecious stones (more common, but no less valuable). A similar category of minerals consists of: amethyst, aquamarine, almadine, apatite, grenade, mountain crystal, opal, quartz, topaz, turmalin, zircon, chrysolite, etc.
The third category is jewelry and sub-stones. These include: agate, turquoise, amber, cat's eye, lunar stone, azette, malachite, jasper, tiger eye.
Some classifications group stones in similar categories, however, at the same time, they also divide the minerals into classes. The class indicates the fortress of the stone, its high cost and beauty.

Black precious stones: name, description, photo

In nature, there are so many minerals released by their black color. Some of them are so rare that it is almost impossible to find any information about them. In many cases, the name “black” stone can be considered relative, since in fact the mineral has a lighter or non -plain color. Here are the most encountered in jewelry Black Stones:

Gems

Black diamond or carbonado

Black diamond is the greatest rarity and value in jewelry. However, it is worth noting that it does not reach jewelry, since its cutting and processing are very difficult - it can only be performed with the help of the same stone. In jewelry annals, only a handful of such stones is listed, the most expensive of which was estimated at 1.7 million dollars. The other two became famous under the names “Black Star of Africa” and “Corloff Noir”.

Black sapphire

Real black sapphire does not exist in nature. Almost all black sapphires are the work of scientists. They are obtained by processing blue sapphires. The same few black sapphires that have natural origin are actually difficult to call black, since their color is closer to the color of the sky at night. The most famous black sapphire is considered to be the “black star of Queensland” worth $ 100 million.

Black Pearl

A similar type of pearl is also difficult to consider truly black, since its darkness is softened by the pearl of the pearl. However, the cost of such a wonders to this day remains quite high. The rarest specimens of black pearls are collected on Tahiti in the corresponding museum.

Black Opal

The specified type of opal is considered one of the most expensive and valuable breeds. Most often, this mineral is found in deposits located in the least developed countries of the world, which determines numerous human losses during its extraction.

Black spinel

Black spinel is one of the most inexpensive types of precious stones of black color. Its cheapness is easily explained by the fragility of the stone and the complexity of its processing. Most often, spinel is used in needlework or jewelry in the form of cabochons.

Semiprecious stones

Black quartz or Morion is the only representative of black -led stones of black color. This mineral today is most often used in jewelry. Outwardly, it has an opaque or barely transparent surface.

Jewelry and exhibition stones

Black agate

In fact, black agate does not exist in nature. You can only find minerals of dark-angle color. Saturated black can only be achieved using the technological processing of this stone.

Other representatives of black jewelry and subcontiment are: black onyx, obsidian, black jasper or gagat, hematite, argillitis and hyperena.

White precious stones: name, description, photo

White or transparent by nature, minerals are considered the most expensive and valuable stones in jewelry. White precious stones include:

Diamond or diamond

It is the transparent diamond or its already robbed part (diamond) that first come to mind to any person (especially women) when mentioning white precious stones. Indeed, this mineral is considered one of the most popular. Its high cost is easily explained by the few deposits of this mineral in the ground. At the same time, only a small fraction of all the extracted diamonds is suitable for cutting.

Transparent spinel

Unlike its black twin, the white spinel is a fairly expensive stone, which is distinguished by a high fortress. The impeccable purity and the fact of the absence of any impurities in this mineral makes it even more valuable. White spinel is most often used in the jewelry of the Lux class.

Colorless topaz

This mineral is easy to confuse with the naked eye with diamond. However, upon close examination, it is possible to detect differences. In jewelry, it is customary to frame colorless topaz into noble white metals - gold, platinum.

Shock or colorless beryl

Goshenitis is also very similar to the diamond, but its radiance can rather be called more chilling, restrained.

Pearl

White pearls always managed to captivate with their warmth and tenderness of the fair sex. Oddly enough, but in nature, pearls rarely have a round shape (such representatives are very highly appreciated) - more often they are oblong, uneven. The pearl has another feature - the life span. If ordinary minerals will delight the eye with their beauty forever, then the pearl can “go out” at any time. The life expectancy of this mineral does not exceed 300 years.

Ahroite or white turmaline

Such a breed is very rare, since its deposits are located only at one point on the map. In the form of jewelry, ahroite is quite rare. Such pleasure can be ordered in only a few jewelry workshops of the world.

Half -subject white stones include: white agate, mountain crystal and white opal.

Jewelry and exhibition stones boast of the presence of such white minerals in their list as milk coral, white jasper, lunar stone, white-green nephritis.

Blue precious stones: name, description, photo

Blue or cornflower

Only an experienced specialist will be able to distinguish these two types of mineral by eye. Blue sapphire is valued slightly lower than cornflower, but it is still considered a precious stone. As for the cornflower sapphire, it was used in ancient times only for the inlaid of royal outfits and jewelry.

Topaz

Topaz is most often found in blue colors, but in nature it can be other colors - yellow, green, orange, etc. Topaz is not too expensive mineral. Most often, it is framed in white precious metals - platinum, white gold. Such metals, as it were, emphasize its tender radiance.

Aquamarine

Already from the very name of the mineral, its origin and associations associated with it become clear. The marine color of this stone helps jewelers to create masterpieces of blue. Aquamarine lovers should pay attention to the fact that this mineral is quite fragile - the effects of chemicals, mechanical damage and heat treatment negatively affect its condition.

Blue spinel

Such a coloring of stone is extremely rare, which determines a rather high price for it. In a framed form, it can be found only in exclusive creations of jewelers, which are often stored in private collections and cost tens, or even hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Blue semi -value stones include: zircon, chalcedon.
Contractor blue stones are considered turquoise, apatitis, non -car, amazonite.

Blue precious stones: name, description, photo

Sapphire

Topaz

Lapis lazuli

Lazurite is a gem that is most often framed in yellow gold. It is believed that this mineral has strong healing and protective properties.

Blistry’s semi -lens stones include turquoise, the color scheme of which has dozens of shades of blue, green and blue.

Red precious stones: name, description, photo

Ruby

Perhaps to every person, when the red precious stones mentioned, Rubin immediately comes to mind. This, amazing beauty, the mineral is very widely used in jewelry. It is framed in various kinds of precious metals - gold, platinum, silver. The jewelled by ruby \u200b\u200bcan be quite expensive - everything will depend on the metal, as well as the quantity and magnitude of the minerals. It has long been attributed a lot of magical and healing qualities. This stone has always been associated with love, passion and desire.

Red turmaline

Red spinel

Half -subject red stones include grenade, zircon, carnel, coral.

Grenade, carbuncle or pyrop

In the myths of various ancient states, mention of this mineral was very often found. It was believed that grenade is able to heal from many ailments, block the effect of poison and poison.

As for the crafts, their most famous representative in the red color is jasper.

Pink precious stones: name, description, photo

Kunsit

Until recently, this pale pink gem was not allocated into a separate subgroup-it was simply considered one of the varieties of amethyst. However, thanks to the works of the American Kunts (whose name he was named), this mineral on the basis of his, different from the amethyst, was nevertheless recognized as a completely different stone.

In the early 90s, the attention of the whole public was riveted to the cuncity. He was obliged to the Kennedy family with such popularity. The fact is that the American president on the eve of his tragic death acquired Jacqueline Ring, inlaid by kunsit. But John was never destined to give a present to his beloved wife - a month before the celebration he was shot.

Morganite or pink beryl

Morganite (in Russia is sparrow) - a rather rare mineral. Most often they decorate products with diamonds.

Rubellite or pink turmaline

Rubellite is quite inexpensive, but this is no less beautiful gem. His resemblance to Rubin in ancient times played into the hands of fraudsters. It was with this mineral that more expensive rubies were faked.

Pink semi -delegate stones include quartz, agate, corundure.
As for the crafts, nature often stains with pink, coral, coral, rodinitis and rhodonite.

Green precious stones: name, description, photo

Emerald

Naturally, the most famous green precious stone is emerald. Few people know that in their original guise this mineral can hardly be called beautiful - only after a high -quality cut in it can you recognize the king of green stones. Emeralds are most often framed in yellow metals. In white, they can be found only in company with white gold and platinum. The price of emeralds is sometimes simply fabulous - from $ 300 per carat.

Demantoid or green grenade

The high coefficient of refraction of the sun's sun rays lifts it to the level of the royal stone - diamond. Most often, green grenade is confused with emerald, although its color, unlike the latter, is closer to the color of the grass. For one carat of this precious stone you will have to lay out from 100 to $ 1000.

Green turmaline

Green sapphire

Green semiprecious stones include: chrysolite, adventurine, beryl, seraphite.

Contractor stones of green color are most often jasper, malachite and nephritis.

Burgundy precious stones: name, description, photo

Ruby

Tourmaline

Beautiful burgundy color can be semiprecious grenade.

How to distinguish natural stone from a fake, from glass in jewelry?

How to distinguish a real gem from a fake?

For a jeweler or high -class appraiser, it will not be difficult to identify the authenticity of the stone using special tools and devices. As for the inexperienced layman, it will be very difficult to distinguish a real stone from a fake for him. In such cases, professionals recommend using the following techniques:

Natural stone, as a rule, is much stronger than glass or plastic fake. If you spend a sharp object on it, then there should not be a trace on it. At the same time, a scratch may form on a fake. But this method is relevant only when it is necessary to distinguish hacks from a real stone - if in the product instead of a precious stone of the highest level, a natural but less expensive mineral is involved, then there is no point in conducting a similar experiment.
Natural stones have a cold touch. If you put the stone on the tongue or attach it to the cheek, then it will remain cold for a long time. If glass or plastic is used in the product, the stone will heat up quickly enough.
Natural stones grown in the bowels of the Earth are rarely large, but artificial minerals created in laboratories can reach more impressive sizes.
The color of natural stone is rarely very saturated, bright. At the same time, creating hacks of any color and shade is quite simple.
Do not count on the fact that natural stone will cost a penny - the price per carat of the precious mineral can reach thousands and hundreds of dollars.
When buying a product with natural stones, you can ask the seller to provide a certificate for the authenticity of the stones.

In fact, all precious minerals have completely different chemical and physical properties. Therefore, the identification of each of them must be approached individually.