HERLIFE Magazine

herlife | fine thingsWhat are thePerfect Gems forDurability and Wear?by linda r. priceWith Elizabeth Taylor’s jewelry collection in the newsrecently, women are once again showing interest injewelry, not only for investment, but for the beautyof the pieces and the individual stones. Most women look at jewelrywith the idea of acquiring something that pleases them, so I consultedgemologists to find out what gems hold their value and wear well inthe daily life of the average owner.The single most important feature in acquiring gemstone jewelryis the price. The most coveted stones are simply out of reach for theaverage woman’s pocketbook and best left for the super rich, investorsand collectors such as Ms. Taylor. Still, there are many beautifulstones, both precious and semi-precious, that all can enjoy.The Mohs is used in the industry to measure the hardness of“Women who want others toadmire their jewelry might preferto wear a pendant or earringswhile a woman who wishes toadmire her own gems may prefera ring or a bracelet.”stones. Beginning with 1 for talc and reaching 10 for diamonds, thescale indicates that each stone is capable of scratching its predecessor.Industry experts recommend that buyers purchase only stoneswith a rating of 6 or higher for the best wearing and most durablestones. The hardness of the better-known stones is:diamonds (10), rubies (9), sapphires (9), cat’s-eyeor cymophane (8.5), topaz (8), emeralds (7.5-8), aquamarine (7.5-8),zircons (6 – 7.5), tourmaline (7), quartz (7), amethyst (7), jadeite jade(6.5 – 7), opals (5.5 – 6.5), turquoise (5 – 6), and pearls (2.5 – 4.5).Matilde Parente, M.D. and Gemological Institute of America(GIA)-trained gemologist (http://www.libertinejewelry.com), statesthat even though stones are hard, they may crack and break (even adiamond) if they are hit in just the right place.When considering the durability of a gemstone, stability mustalso be taken into consideration. Some materials may be altered byheat (emeralds and opals), chemicals such as acids (aquamarinesor peridots), or sunlight (kunzite, hiddenites and brownish-yellowtopaz). Jade is a tough stone because it resists cracking and breakagemaking it a stone that will stand up to a lot of punishment duringdaily wear.In addition to their hardness, another important feature of diamondsand sapphires is the wide range of colors available. Diamondscan be colorless, yellow, yellow-brown, brown, pink to reddish, blue,blue-gray, pale green or violet (Simon & Schuster’s Guide to Gemsand Precious Stones. 1986). The most valuable corundum is the ruby.The sapphire is the blue variety of the corundum. Other sapphiresmay be yellow, pink, violet, green and colorless. With such a rangeof colors to choose from, is it any wonder that diamonds, rubies andsapphires are favorites of women everywhere?Since the hardness of stones refers to technical issues, whatabout the esthetics of gemstones and jewelry? Obviously, womenwant gems that reflect their personality and their lifestyle. There is82 HERLIFEMAGAZINE.COM