What To Look For When Buying A Gemstone - Part I

Colour & Clarity. 

For us at Cavalier, the most important aspect of coloured gemstones is, fittingly enough, colour. 

When we’re sorting through a parcel of stones, or rapid firing through single stone papers, the first thing we are trying to assess is the richness and depth of colour within each of the gems. This is affected by different trace elements that bring out various tones of colour which are heavily affected based on the origin of the gem; the atmosphere of where it comes from. 

Why is this important to us? Humans are naturally drawn to colour, therefore, the richer or livelier the colour, the more rare or precious the stone becomes. 

Once we are satisfied with the colour, we then focus on clarity. Gemstones are similar to diamonds in the sense that the ideal stone is free of inclusion; blemishes or structural flaws that can affect the quality of the gem. The level of clarity we look for is clean to the naked eye, or ideally, even cleaner than that. 

From here, once each gem is graded to our colour and clarity standards, the stones are then given a closer second, sometimes third or even fourth look through a small magnifying glass, or what is known in the jewellery industry as a loupe. This allows a deeper understanding of the body of the gem- is there an opportunity to improve the cut of the stone? Oftentimes, just by making a small change in the cut, the beauty of the stone can increase exponentially. 

With family generations passing down decades of experience, our process of reviewing and purchasing precious gemstones ultimately comes down to these laws:  

1. Does this stone need to be enhanced in any way to intensify its beauty?
   (Do we need to make visual changes to the stone before we can bring it to our store?)
2. Is it possible to recut the gemstone to increase, or in some rare cases, decrease the colour saturation?
   (If changes need to be made to the stone, can it be better, livelier, brighter or made less bright?)
3. Has this stone been previously treated or enhanced in any way? Cavalier focuses on buying natural sapphires or gemstones that have only been treated with heat. Any other form of treatment of a gemstone or sapphire would be considered below Cavalier’s buying standard with no further consideration. 
4. Is there a place on the immediate market for it? Or, simply put, can we sell it or hold it long term, waiting for the right buyer to appreciate it. 
5. What is the origin of the gem?  

Depending on the outcomes to these questions, the process of assessing and evaluating each individual gemstone is crucial in marking the value of each stone. For Cavalier, the bar is set and remains at only the most exceptional of levels.

Each component of our process is significant to our brand, however, the origin of each variety of gemstone can oftentimes make the biggest of differences among them all. Read more about the explorations of the next step in What To Look For When Buying A Gemstone - Part II. 

Curious about purchasing a gemstone ring? Book in an appointment with us or connect with us via email.