Gemstone Buying Guide

The order a gemologist reads a stone

1. Species & origin — what it is, where it grew.
2. Treatment — what humans did to it, if anything.
3. Color — hue, tone, saturation in daylight.
4. Clarity — under 10x, honestly described.
5. Cut & carat — how the shape serves the color.

See the stone in natural light before deciding. Photos are references; the stone is the truth.