A gemstone (also called a fine gem, jewel, precious stone, semiprecious stone, or simply gem) is a piece of mineral crystal which, when cut or polished, is used to make jewelry or other adornments.[1][2][3] Certain rocks (such as lapis lazuli, opal, and obsidian) and occasionally organic materials that are not minerals (such as amber, jet, and pearl) may also be used for jewelry and are therefore often considered to be gemstones as well.[4][5] Most gemstones are hard, but some softer minerals such as brazilianite may be used in jewelry[6] because of their color or luster or other physical properties that have aesthetic value. However, generally speaking, soft minerals are not typically used as gemstones by virtue of their brittleness and lack of durability.[7]
Found all over the world, the industry of coloured gemstones (i.e. anything other than diamonds) is currently estimated at US$1.55 billion as of 2023 and is projected to steadily increase to a value of US$4.46 billion by 2033.[8]
A gem expert is a gemologist, a gem maker is called a lapidarist or gemcutter; a diamond cutter is called a diamantaire.
- ^ "Gemstone". Lexico. Oxford University Press. Archived from the original on March 21, 2020.
- ^ Webster Online Dictionary Archived 2007-06-03 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Alden, Nancy (2009). Simply Gemstones: Designs for Creating Beaded Gemstone Jewelry. New York, NY: Random House. p. 136. ISBN 978-0-307-45135-4.
- ^ "Pearl | Natural, Cultured & Imitation Gemstones | Britannica". www.britannica.com. January 19, 2024. Retrieved March 1, 2024.
- ^ "Gemopedia - Gemstone Encyclopedia". www.gemstones.com. Retrieved March 1, 2024.
- ^ "Soft Gemstones and Minerals | Gem5.com". gem5.com. Retrieved March 1, 2024.
- ^ "Gemstone Hardness and Wearability".
- ^ "Colored Gemstones Market: Sales Projection Shows 11.6% CAGR Growth Potential by 2033 – Market Research Blog". March 1, 2024. Retrieved March 1, 2024.