Just like any other business, the gemstone business also has got its dark side that, if not assessed correctly, could land you in severe financial ruin.
As you strive to invest a lot of time, effort, and money to have smooth sailing of your business, well, some bad luck could be waiting for you on the other side. But guess what… it is avoidable if you follow the proper steps and procedures.
They say 'humans are to error,' but sometimes it's just a bad day or someone bold enough to test your knowledge or experience about something. And, if they find out you're an amateur, you're in big trouble.
This article will be discussing a couple of fraudulent gimmicks primarily used by gemstone dealers as well as miners to fool you into losing your money, such as:
- Valueless/worthless gems
- Cracked gemstones
- Synthetic/laboratory gemstones
- Broken bottle particles
- Wrong measurements
- Treated gems
- Uncut and cut gems
- Law about gem
1. Valueless/Worthless Gemstones
There are numerous types of gemstones out there, both semi-precious and precious ones, but not every single one of them is worth a coin.
Some gemstones are worthless despite being comprehended as 'gemstones.' Nonetheless, some semi-precious stones are worth more money than precious ones.
To put it another way, you need to know which stones are in high demand and which aren't. It will save you a ton of trouble.
For instance, Tsavorite, a semi-precious stone, is much more expensive than Emerald (precious stone). Also, a clear green tourmaline could be more costly than Cabochons (Sapphire).
Stones like Topaz, Quartz, Feldspar, etc., may not be your priority if you are looking for some determinable profit.
Nevertheless, this doesn't mean they are worthless or can't make you any money
2. Cracked Stones
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| Cracked gemstones |
A good quality gem is worth hundreds if not thousands of bucks, but its worth might drastically plummet if it retains any cracks.
This, nevertheless, does not mean the stone is worthless. It simply implies that it won't sell as good as it would have if it didn't have the cracks.
In some mining grounds, miners try to sell you cracked stones first. They hide the good ones so that the cracked stones can sell first because if they don't use this trick, the cracked stone definitely won't sell, thus making them feel wasted.
This does not convey that cracked stones are worthless. You need to be smart enough not to waste a lot of money on a cracked stone.
3. Synthetic/Laboratory Stones
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| Fakeness |
Synthetic stones are the type of gemstone artificially grown in laboratories by man. These are so identical to genuine natural gemstones that it takes a real expert to recognize them.
Several new gem dealers, including me, have been a victim of this kind of fraud, so read closely not to be a victim of this minor but awfully effective trick too. They are similar in chemical structure, physical structure, and appearance.
How to identify Synthetic Stones
One of the characteristics of synthetic stones is that they are so clear. Few natural gemstones contain the type of clarity that an artificial stone would have.
That's why you need a loupe to obtain accurate results.
If you don't wish to head to a gemologist's office or lack the tools to help you distinguish gems, then there are more straightforward ways you can use to tell if your stone is real or fake.
Firstly, the price. Artificial gems are known to be cheaper than natural. That is because something that isn't God-made lacks credibility to be valued or treasured. Of course, in terms of minerals.
Inclusions: I can't emphasize this enough. Natural gems commonly come out with lots of inclusions. Nature isn't perfect; it does everything in a nature-way-like kind of system.
That means it doesn't do anything to please anyone. While man concentrates on perfection, there might be some inclusions in artificial gems, but they are easier to deal with.
The world has smartened up; they have begun making gems with inclusions to make them appear natural.
If you use a tool and can't find inclusion even with a 10x loupe, then take it to a gemologist.
However, you have to be more careful; it should be a gemologist you trust or a licensed one with the credibility to deliver his work correctly.
Some untrustworthy gemologists switch gems and make it look like you came in with a synthetic one. It is a crazy world where everyone is trying to rip you off. So be wise and watch out.
Walk into a gemologist's office: It could sound tiresome, but as far as I know, it is the only way you can genuinely verify whether or not your gem is real.
Gemologists have the best tools to tell a stone's Genuity; with a tool like a microscope, everything can e analyzed clearly.
4. Broken Bottle Particles/ Glass
This phare sounds a little odd, but it is true. It involves breaking bottles, especially green ones, to make them look like gemstones. The people who engage in this activity are pretty smart.
They break bottles into small sizable particles of bottles, shape them thoroughly and polish them.
Trust me; if you are not experienced or lack equipment to help you, you will buy bottle particles. I have seen many people fall for this trick so keep your head up.
How to Avoid Buying Glass as Natural Gems
The first suggestion I would say is to travel to the mining grounds. Now, I understand not everyone has the time, money, and courage to move long distances searching for natural gems, but it's worth it if you are damn serious about gems.
Finding genuine natural stone on these counters in these jewellery shops has become a rare thing.
Instead of losing thousands of dollars on a fake sapphire, yet they are mined in your state, wouldn't visiting the mine be sensible?
Everything that can be in a synthetic stone has been dealt with in one or the other by these bad gem manufacturers, and the only possible way to avoid being a victim of this kind of fraud is to travel for gems.
Consider buying only and only rough stones. There are pretty substantial advantages to this. Firstly, rough stones are not as expensive as they would be when cut.
Natural stones contain all the inclusions a natural stone would have; this enables you to worry less about paying a third party to check it out for you if you have a simple 10x loupe.
I know it might cost a lot to get the stone cut and polished, but haven't you just got saved yourself from making a costly mistake that might have ruined your relationship if indeed it was a romantic kind of thing?
How to Scientifically Differentiate a Glass from a Gemstone
In this case, there are only three factors to use when differentiating a glass from a natural gemstone. These factors are:
— Refractive index
— Hardness
— Density
Refraction is the act of measuring how light passes from one medium to another. This is measured using a refractometer.
A glass's refractive index is approximately 1.46-1.52. Gems, however, have higher refractive indexes than Glass.
Even one-like quartz that is quite similar to glass chemically, its refractive index is higher than Glass.
Quartz has a refractive index of 1.54. Therefore, it can raise more suspicion when a gem sold to you has a much lower refractive index but not quartz.
Hardness is determined on Mohs Scale; it determines the stone's resistance to scratch and damage. As you have already guessed, natural gems are harder than Glass.
The stone that tops this list is the diamond with a 10 on the Mohs scale. A glass ranks around 5.5-7.
Most precious gems beat the Glass in hardness; stones like Tanzanite, ruby, emerald, and sapphire are much harder than Glass. So make sure you know a stone's hardness before purchasing it.
Mass is being measured in an object when density is discussed. Glass is much denser than natural stone. Quartz's density is about 2.66, while glass's density is 2.18-2.40.
Anything below a quartz's density is suspicious.
5. False Measurements
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| Weighing scale |
This trick is not very new since it is used in many businesses, but it's prevalent in gems.
Buyers tend to display wrong measurements of gemstones to make much profit.
It's unclear if they somehow twist some parts in the weighing scale system, as there is no evidence to prove this, but the measurements are often wrong.
Both miners and buyers need to have weighing scales to avoid such circumstances.
6. Treated Gemstones
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| Treated gem |
Treated stones are the kind of gemstones that have gone under artificial improvement to make their appearance more stunning.
It includes cutting, polishing, oiling, and heating which changes the colour and quality of the stone. Treated gemstones aren't wrong, but they are not as profitable as natural untreated ones.
Although, if you have poor-quality stones that are not as valuable as you think, you can always treat them to increase their quality.
This statement doesn't imply that treated gems are bad, always watch out for the value of a heated stone and a natural one before spending any money on a stone.
7. Cut and Uncut Stones
Cut stones are stones that have undergone a process of cutting as well as polishing while uncut ones are the ones that are in their natural form with no added human work.
Cut stones are savagely more expensive than uncut ones. So gem dealers always focus on selling cut gems for a good profit.
Cutting isn't an easy task because it is mainly done by geologists or people who consider it their area of expertise.
If your target is making some good cash, you need to get your hands dirty and start learning the cutting processes or spend too much on lapidarist.
Cut or uncut stones are good for business, but cut ones make it on the top for the gem business.
8. Law on Gemstones
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| Law |
This factor depends on your area or nationality. You need to know what the law says about gemstones since the bad guys are always looking for a way of gaining without earning.
In my personal experience, I once found myself in a situation where a law enforcer needed a license for the gems I was carrying.
Little did I know that if you are in the county where the gems are mined, you don't need a license to have them until you travel to another county.
Be smart, know your rights, and don't be a victim of such minor issues.
Conclusion
Losses cause so much anxiety and sometimes depression, but you can always avoid them if you take the proper precautions. All you need to do is understand the procedures and take action now.
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