What gem stones are considered precious stones?
First of all, in modern gemology parlance, there is no distinction between precious and semi-precious stones. All stones are considered precious gems by the professional gemologist. That being said, the classification of stones as precious gems has existed for thousands of years, and is still a concern of collectors. There are only five stones that were historically considered precious gems: • Precious Gem Stone 1 – The Diamond: Made of a crystalline form of carbon, the diamond is the most well known, and arguably the most admired of the precious gemstones. The word diamond comes from the ancient Greek word adamas, meaning ‘impossible to tame’. The English word ‘adamant’, which means unbreakable or unyielding, comes from the same root. Diamond gem stone is the hardest naturally occurring substance, making it the most durable of all precious gem stones. The diamond’s complex crystalline structure lends itself to multifaceted shapes, also refracts and disperses ambient light, giving it a
