Precious Stones

Group of precious and semiprecious stones —both uncut and faceted— including (clockwise from top left) Diamond, uncut synthetic Sapphire, Ruby, uncut Emerald, and Amethyst crystal cluster.

A Precious stone or gemstone is a piece of Crystal (mineral), which, in cut and polished form, is used to make Jewelry or other adornments. However, certain Rocks or Organic materials those are not minerals. Mineral are used for jewelry and are therefore often considered to be precious stones as well. Most precious stones are hard, but some soft minerals are used in jewelry because of their Luster or other physical properties that have aesthetic value. Rarity is another characteristic that lends value to a gemstone. Apart from jewelry, from earliest antiquity Engraved gems and Hard stone carvings, such as cups, were major luxury art forms. The carvings of Carl Faberge are significant works in this tradition.