SPOTLIGHT ON ... ARTICLE
March 2006

"Where do all these beautiful gems come from?"
Written by: Jessica L. Rosenfeld

As a seasoned vet of buying beads, I have steadily seen myself learn a little bit more each year that I am around. When I first started working for Soft Flex® Company 7 years ago, I couldn't tell the difference between a pair of crimping pliers and a pair of round nose pliers, much less know a strand of Lemon Citrine from a strand of Carnelian.

Over the years, gemstone knowledge has been absorbed into my brain like a sponge. I now feel comfortable in answering questions posed by our customers, as well as making educated decisions when buying for myself. How is it that I came to this point? I have a few suggestions that worked for me, to help get you on the right path.

One excellent tool to learn about the gemstones you are buying is to get a book. I have two on my desk at all times that I refer to often, Gemstones of the World by Walter Schumann, and Gemstones by Cally Hall. The first book is an excellent reference for details on a gems origin, what species it comes from, it's density, colors, and hardness, as well as what it is commonly confused with. The latter book is handy as it sections the gems into categories: there are precious metals, cut stones, organic stones, and a very handy color key, which categorizes stones by their color, a wonderful tool for a beginning gemstone buyer.

Another excellent way to learn about what you're buying is to ask. Yes, ask. Don't be bashful about asking your source. At Soft Flex® Company, we love to share the information about a gemstone you are buying, and if we don't have that information handy, we are happy to do the research to make our customer informed. I would be concerned if I wasn't given as many of the facts of the gem as my source knew.

Another tip I'd like to offer is to associate a gemstone with something you like, and/or remember easily. If you just can't seem to separate Peridot from Emerald, try doing a Jedi Mind trick to remind you that Peridot is lighter and Emerald is darker. I used to give myself mini-quizzes when I am at a bead show, testing my knowledge minute by minute. It has drastically improved my ability to spot a gemstone, know it's name, and often times, know if it's good quality.

In the hopes of making everyone a bead and gem lover, I hope this article assists in something I found a struggle at the beginning of my beading days.

Happy beading!