On many occasions price is an indicator of quality, but not always. When it comes to gemstones there is a higher cost of materials as compared to manufactured stones or lab created gems.
For the average consumer it may be difficult to determine what is manufactured versus what is naturally mined. And how do you know if the pages and pages of product listings are in fact actual natural stones?
We have a few tips to help you decipher what is real vs. what is manufactured.
- Natural stones including Gemstones like we mentioned before have a higher cost than those that are lab created. So first rule, if the price is too good to be true then it may not be the authentic stone you are seeking. In this case, a lower price is your first indicator.
- Natural stones have imperfections. Just like us humans, imperfection makes both us and them beautiful. If you see something called AAAA quality stone with a price of $4.00 it is probably man-made. In the jewelry world, we do not use "A" to measure quality, we typically use eye-clean, loop-clean and phrases like this.
- Large manufacturers and name-brand jewelers will often offer legitimate gemstones. So rest assured on the quality of the product you are purchasing. But these brands also come with a higher price tag as they carry with them a much higher operating expense than small independent makers.
So next time you are browsing think about the few tips above to help you make the best decision before completing your purchase. We at Rock The Gem are committed to bringing you not only the purest natural stones but by producing locally we can keep the cost to you as low as possible.
Stay tuned for our next blog where we will discuss: "What a natural stone looks and feels like".