Collecting Gemstones

Collecting gemstones is a fantastic hobby.Observing the play of light in gems and taking in their myrid hues is really very soothing.It is astonishing just how beautiful some of nature’s creations can be.Gem collecting is a hobby almost anyone can indulge in for all gemstones are not expensive.In fact many semi-precious stones cost just a few  rupees.

Gemstones selected carefully and bought at the source at wholesale prices and held passively for a couple of decades can be reasonably good investments. They definitely keep up with inflation.

Gemstones are collected for their beauty.So taking your time to select the most beautiful stones is essential.Also it’s important to read up on the different ways in which natural gemstones are treated.Read up on whether treatments affect their desirability for other collectors.By paying a little attention to other people’s preferences while still buying gemstones you find beautiful will ensure a greater liquidity in future.Avoid paying retail rates unless the stone is extraordinary and even then bargain.Otherwise you are unlikely to ever recover the money you sink into your collection.The average jeweler will sell you a stone for two or three times what he paid for it wholesale and he’ll buy a stone from you for half of wholesale.

If collecting loose gemstones is not so interesting maybe you can buy gemstones on wholesale and have them fashioned into jewellery? This is another way of investing in gemstones.If you can handle the cost and quality control issues you can acquire beautiful jewellery at a fraction of retail prices.

If you are like speculation or are just passingly interested in gem-stones maybe you can consider buying roughs and having them cut.This helps if you can buy close to the mines,maybe during your travels, and have access to inexpensive and skilled cutters.

Gemstones are also excellent gifts and inheritances to pass on to family members.They are beautiful,have some intrinsic value and if they have been procured on travels or acquired on special occassions they have sentimental value.

Here are 2 resources to help you with gem valuation:

http://www.gemval.com/

http://www.gemsociety.org/info/priceg.htm