What is a Gem?

The words such as Emerald, ruby, opal, gems and jewels have been in our vocabulary for thousands of years. However, defining what a gemstone is has proven to be a major challenge. Not only for everyday people with common sense but also for those lexicographers who have a need to precisely define each work in our language.

Usually we say most gems are "minerals that have been chosen for their beauty and durability, then cut and polished for use as human adornment." This definition covers the vast majority of the things we regard as gems. The only problem is that for every defining feature, there is an exception.

The first qualification of gem is that most gems are minerals but some, notably pearls and amber, are organics. That means they were created by living organisms. The coating of a pearl is mineral which is confusing some folks. By definition though, a mineral must be created in the earth. Hence, pearls fall into a different category. Amber began life as tree sap. After millions of years it has undergone a transformation into a polymer, a natural plastic. This most definitely isn't a mineral, but it has been regarded as a gem for 1,000's of years.

The next qualification is that they are chosen for their beauty. We all think it would be redundant to say that beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. There are gems we don't think are beautiful, like the Pepto Bismol pink and olive green of unakite. However, some people love brown gems which are often used in the earth tone jewelry that is so popular today while to others, brown is not a beautiful color, bringing up images of dirt. Then durability is usually a high priority in choosing a gem but there are some of the most popular gems are particularly delicate if they could not be protected properly.

The last qualification that is usually associated with a gemstone is that is be used for human adornment. There are about 3,000 minerals that have been cut and polished and admired for their beauty. Of these, only about a hundred show up in jewelry. The rest are simply too delicate to wear well. They are strictly in the domain of the collector.

After all these exceptions, we could easily find that there simply isn't a concise definition that covers all the elements that have been regarded as gems throughout the centuries.

For the average person though, we can recognize a gem at first glance! To heck with the definitions, if it makes your eyes light up, it is a true gem!

Colored Gemstones

Just as Tagore states: All the beautiful things have a color, Color gemstones have been always a feast for the eyes and prized throughout the ages. Occurring in an infinite color range from subtle to vibrant, colored gemstones have been sought after for centuries, valued for their natural beauty and rarity, worn as symbols of wealth and status, and eternally possessing a mystery of mythology and lore.

The ancients attributed magical, mystical powers to each stone, and believed that many of them could cure specific ailments. Specific gemstones have been attributed mystical powers, or healing powers, as well as the power to protect the wearer from a variety of life's perils. Even today, we revere colored stones as beautiful, unique, and as a means of personal expression and individuality for their wearers.

Wherever we are and whenever it is, natural gemstones and minerals add sparkle to our lives and invigorate our soul with the earths natural beauty.

At Legend Blue, enjoy fascinating colors and stones.