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A gemstones
quality has three basic factors- beauty, durability and
rarity.
Beauty is first, color being 50% of its
value, clarity 30% and cut 20%. Also to be considered
are: proportion, symmetry and polish. These can result
in a stone’s beauty being enhanced with brilliance
and dispersion. A large percentage of colored gemstones
are cut in India, notorious for retaining weight by leaving
thick bottoms, consequently a dull looking stone. Those
that are of fine quality are generally re-cut after exportation.
Durability maters. A stone need not
be indestructible, but it must withstand ordinary wear.
Rarity frequently determines price.
Demand is based on rarity and fashion. Amber was once
very fashionable and the second most important import to
USA. Then it lay dormant for decades until Jurassic
Park brought it back to the world’s attention.
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