Jewelry A gemstone is a mineral, rock (as in lapis lazuli) or petrified material that when cut and polished is collectible or can be used in jewellery. Others are organic, such as amber (fossilised tree resin) and jet (a form of coal). Some beautiful gemstones are too soft or too fragile to be used in jewelry, for example, single-crystal rhodochrosite, but are exhibited in museums and sought by collectors. Some gemstones are manufactured to imitate other gemstones. For example, cubic zirconia is a synthetic diamond substitute. The imitations copy the look and colour of the real stone but possess neither their chemical nor physical characteristics. However, synthetic gemstones are not necessarily imitation. For example, diamond, ruby, sapphire and emerald can be manufactured in labs, which possess identical chemical and physical characteristics as the genuine article. Artificial corundums including ruby and sapphire are very common and they cost only a fraction of the natural stones. Smaller artificial diamonds have been manufactured in large quantities as industrial abrasives for many years. Only recently, larger artificial diamonds of gemstone quality, especially of the coloured variety, have been manufactured. A gemstone is prized especially for great beauty or perfection. Hence, appearance is almost the most important attribute of gemstones. Their beauty must also be able to stand the test of time; if a gemstone is scratched or crumbled, it loses its value instantly. Characteristics that make a stone beautiful or desirable are colour, unusual optical phenomena within the stone, an interesting inclusion such as a fossil, rarity and sometimes the shape of the natural crystal. It is unsurprising that diamond is prized highly as a gemstone, since it is the hardest substance known and is able to reflect light with fire and sparkle. Traditionally, gemstones were classified into precious stones and semi-precious stones; the former category was largely determined by a history of ecclesiastical, devotional or ceremonial use and rarity imposed by the limits of known deposits and available collection methods. Only four types of gemstones were considered precious. They were: Diamond Ruby Sapphire Emerald Jewelry consists of ornamental devices worn by persons, typically made with gems and precious metals. Jewelry can and has been made out of almost every kind of material. Examples include bracelets, necklaces, rings, and earrings, as well as items like hair ornaments or body piercing jewelry. The word is derived from the word 'jewel', which was anglicised from the Old French 'jouel' in around the 13th century. Further tracing leads back to the Latin word 'jocale', meaning plaything. Jewelry, particularly when made with precious materials, is generally considered valuable and desirable. Some cultures have a practice of keeping large amounts of wealth stored in the form of jewelry. Jewelry can also be symbolic, as in the case of Christians wearing a crucifix in the form of jewelry, or, as is the case in many Western cultures, married people wearing a wedding ring. Jewelry in various forms has been made and worn by both sexes in almost every (if not every) human culture, on every inhabited continent. Personal adornment seems to be a basic human tendency.
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