Gem Identification Made Easy

Today, knowing your gems, being absolutely sure about what you are buying and selling is essential. Major changes in the gem world - new synthetic stones, new treatments to enchance and conceal, new gems and more stones available in every hue and tone of colour - make accurate gem identification more important than ever to both buyers and sellers. Whether you are the owner of a large retail jewellery chain or a small family-run business, someone who enjoys collecting or acquiring gems for personal pleasure, or a seriouos investor, insufficient knowledge can be costly. It can result in a bad purchase, damage to a reputation, and equally significant, failure to recognise and opportunity. With minimal effort and a nominal investment in several instruments you can learn to separate real from imitation, one look-alike from another, dyed from natural, and so on. Sometimes, just a basic knowledge of how to use a simple instrument is all that is needed to avoid an expensive mistake or recognise a profitable opportunity.