Friday, March 21, 2008

Gemstone Jewelry - An Attraction Guaranteed

Gemstones and similar brightly colored stones have been part of body adornment ever since man became aware of the importance of attracting the opposite sex.. On record, from the pre-historic and recorded times, are cave paintings and proof of the use of various materials in nature in jewelry making.

Gems, glass bits, stones of various colors, shells and bone have been used for jewelry in earlier times. However, of all the materials and gemstones continue to enjoy importance within the industry. The bright and opulent diamonds, emeralds, rubies and sapphires have become common settings today. Each one is even awarded a month and certain qualities.

Diamonds were long considered the most precious of all the gemstones. Adamas was the term used to refer to this brilliant wonder. India, Botswana, Russia and Canada enjoy the revenue of this trade with other countries because of the market for this gemstone worldwide.

The gemstone is weighed, guaranteed, and certified in carats and set delicately, in varying sizes, in gold, silver and platinum jewelry. The importance of the diamond in the engagement and wedding rings is undeniable and the popular one liner "diamonds are a girl's best friend" does well for the demand.

There are a number of other gemstones set in modern jewelry too. The amethyst may have less value than the diamond enjoys because of the methods of extracting and importing adopted today, but its place within the industry is unquestionable. Women, men and teenagers the world over indulge in this beautiful gemstone jewelry. Many man-made gems are now set in place of the natural gems, like the zirconia that amply replaces the diamond as the poor man's version of the original.

In the case of gemstone jewelry, set in gold, platinum or silver, there are many different techniques used to create the different designs and offer the desired finesse. The techniques used today include polishing, the satin or matte finishing; as per demand, brushing and hammering. The aim of these processes is to ensure that the jewelry finally created, with the metal and gemstones setting, should be highly-reflective and ethnic.

The exquisite satin or matte finesse given to such jewelry enables the craftsman to tone down the shine of the metal used in the jewelry and accentuate the gemstones such as emeralds, diamonds, rubies, sapphires, zirconia, corals and pearls.

The extensive brushing process in the modern jewelry making industry is done to offer a well-textured look, with authentic brush strokes that are left behind via the brushing action which is quite similar to the common sandpaper effect. The hammering procedure in modern jewelry making makes use of a soft, rounded hammer that is specially created to give the jewelry a wavy texture.

Gemstone jewelry has been around for ages with the prime aim being to denote status, power and glamour. There have been laws in the past that actually dictated who could wear what type of gemstone jewelry! This was primarily based on rank and social status. Gone are the days when the wearing of jewelry like earrings by men was considered effeminate; today men make equal demands within the modern gemstone jewelry industry.


Source: http://www.therealarticles.com/Article/Gemstone-Jewelry---An--Attraction-Guaranteed/145210

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