This guide is intended to help you understand the factors that go into grading gemstones. You have learned that the term "quality" has to do with the rarity of a feature, not that it is necessarily better than something else. The beauty and uniqueness of a gemstone lies in its natural imperfections. These are in fact what make them Perfect!
Gemstones are not only beautiful, but also very valuable, there are innumerable synthetics and imitations. So how can we protect our self from these 'fakes'? Well, the best way is to buy from a specialist in whom one has confidence. Large emeralds in particular should only be purchased with a report from a reputable gemological institute. Such an institute will be able, thanks to the most modern examination techniques, to differentiate reliably between natural and synthetic gemstones and will inform us as to whether the stone has undergone any treatment of the kind a purchaser has the right to know about.
