Colored Gems

If you are comfortable with the 4 factors in diamond grading, you have a rudimentary starting point for colored gems.

Add hue, tone and vividness of color, secondary colors, windowing (see through areas - not good), extinction (dark areas - not good), inclusions that detract from appearance/value (or can add value - like star sapphires and demantoid garnets) and brilliance to up your game skills.

(And then there is the question of natural vs man made and/or treated.)

Sounds confusing and overwhelming… ?

It doesn’t have to be.

Put my 30+ years of buying and selling colored gems in your plus column.

* Former GIA Gemstone Grading instructor