Gemstones are as lovely as they are rare – in a many cases – and numerous (in the sense that there are different types and several varieties of them across the world). There is something about gemstones that makes people want to buy and wear them, especially in the form of jewelry; a desire which usually has something to do with qualities such as their color, cut, clarity and carat. The rarity of some particular types of gemstones may also fuel their appeal and the desire of people to own them.
WHY DO PEOPLE BUY GEMSTONES?
Gemstones have been in existence for a very long time. Long before people started discovering them and digging into the earth’s crust to find them, a lot of gemstones we can find around us today had already been formed. This is because, as scientists have discovered, it can take several millennia and even billions of years for some gemstones to form.
The first gemstone ever to be mined is lapis lazuli, a semi-precious stone of great cultural significance, which is renowned for its distinctive blue color. Historical records indicate that this gemstone was first mined in the Hindy Kush region (which is known today as Afghanistan). Lapis lazuli was also discovered very early on in other regions such as Ancient Egypt from as early as 4000 B.C. During these times, many pieces of jewelry were crafted using this illustrious gemstone.
Following the discovery of lapis lazuli, other gemstones such as jade, sapphires, diamonds, pearls and garnets were soon unearthed and used in several empires and countries across the world. Most of the uses of these gemstones were purely ornamental in nature (owing to the fact that the jewels were very rare, beautiful and hard to find as well as valuable). This usage of gemstones for ornamental and decorative purposes remains widespread even to this day, and it is one of the major reasons why people buy gemstones. Therefore, reasons why people buy gemstones include the following:
- Jewelry making
Gemstones are used heavily in the global jewelry industry for the making – or crafting – of several jewelry pieces such as necklaces, rings, bracelets, anklets and many other articles that serve mainly decorative purposes. Some of them, however, may hold cultural and sentimental meaning, such as; diamond engagement or wedding rings, which are said to symbolize eternal love, as the gemstone (diamond) is renowned for its remarkable hardness, red rubies which are usually exchanged between lovers as a sign of unbridled passion, or black stone rings which are worn in certain cultures to signify the passing of a loved one.
The heavy use of gemstones in jewelry making is responsible for a large percentage of the revenue that comes into the (jewelry making) industry every year. This is because gemstones – particularly rare and precious stones – are usually very rare and expensive, which makes them very high earners.
The role of gemstones in the field of jewelry making cannot be exhausted or overemphasized, because these stones have been used to fashion jewelry pieces for several thousands of years.
- Status and class
Gemstones are usually purchased to show a person’s status and class. Certain gemstones such as sapphires, diamonds, rubies and emeralds have been used in the making of symbolic articles of clothing and paraphernalia for members of the royal class for thousands of years. As a matter of fact, due to the widespread use of these jewels in the making of crowns, thrones and other items that are typically associated with royalty, some of them have come to acquire some level of cultural significance which is akin to royalty (e.g. emeralds and sapphires, which are believed to represent royalty).
Aside royalty some gemstones also signify a high level of wealth, prestige, luxury and social class (which may sometimes be similar to royalty). This is because gems – particularly precious stones of high gem quality – are usually very rare and expensive. Therefore those who wear pieces of jewelry made from them are often thought to be quite well to do.
- Cultural beliefs
Another major reason why people wear gemstones is because of cultural beliefs. Some jewels carry a lot of significance in many cultures across the world. Such significance may either be good or unpleasant. For instance black stones, which are often thought of as a symbol of sophistication in some parts of the world, are typically seen as a harbinger of bad luck in places such as India; due to their ancient cultural beliefs.
WHAT IS AMETHYST?
Amethyst is a very popular gemstone that is violet or purple in color. It is made from chemical reactions involving quartz, and is generally seen as a variety of it (i.e. quartz). Amethyst used to be a precious stone until large deposits of it were discovered in Brazil, following which it became a lot rarer than it used to be. And it is one of those gemstones people because of lots reasons.
One reason people buy amethyst is because it is a beautiful stone, which can be used to make many articles of jewelry such as necklaces, rings, crowns etc. However, this gemstone also has a rich cultural history. The people of Ancient Greece believed that wearing amethyst would protect a person against drunkenness, and so they used to make drinking vessels using it. Some people also purchase this gemstone because it is the birthstone of February, and is believed to bring good luck to those who were born in that month (i.e. February).
CAN I WEAR AMETHYST IN LEFT HAND?
While some people are of the belief that any type of crystal can be worn on any hand, others are of the belief that amethyst should mainly be worn on the right hand or right wrist; as this will aid the generation of a tranquil and calm environment that can be advantageous to the wearer and the people around them. Others also believe that putting pieces of amethyst under a person’s pillow at night will allow them to sleep better (and more soundly).