A Precious Stone, also known across the globe, as a gemstone is generally an attractive piece of mineral, which when cut and polished can have many uses like for making jewelry or various kinds of adornments. Most of these Precious Stones are hard in nature and generally available in two forms: cut and cabochon. A cut of a precious stone generally refers to the shape and style of the gem. And the word Cabochon is derived from a French word, which means knob or a small dome. It is a stone cut into the shape of a small dome in a round, oval, triangle, teardrop or rectangle shape, but without any facets. This style is commonly used with Ruby, Emerald and Sapphire gemstones.

Some of the basic characteristics of Precious Gemstones is that it must posses beauty, hardness, rarity and popularity like Ruby, emerald or sapphire stones. What is also important to note, while selecting your precious stone is its color or colorlessness, transparency, fracture, cleavage, dispersion and the brilliancy or softness of luster. Precious stones or gems are expected to be hard, so that they can endure the wear and tear or friction that it is subjected to while using it in the form of jewelry. Rarity as a characteristic helps determine its value, at the same time, fashion trends also aid in deciding the market value for gemstones or precious stones.

Precious Stones Gems can be branched into different groups, varieties and species. For example, Emerald (green) is a variety of beryl, whereas Ruby (red) and Sapphire is a species of corundum. These stones or gems can be un-naturally processed in the laboratories or can occur naturally. Natural Precious Gems and Stones can be mined from the ground and are then cut to meet the required shape and size. They are usually more expensive than the man made ones, and are rare compared to them. They are also popular amongst the consumers for jewelry and collectors of various precious stones.

Despite the prevalence of diamonds, more and more people are shifting to Precious Gemstones for meaningful gifting or beautiful engagement rings. With so many options available, it is easy to choose the right stone/gem that suits your taste, personality, budget and above all your relationship!