Crystal Gemstones
Gemstones are naturally occurring mineral crystals that have been polished to form various shapes, colors and sizes. They range in size and appearance from the largest gemstone, a diamond, to the smallest, a grain of sand. Gemstones come in different colors and ranges of hardness, but they all have one thing in common: they’re all beautiful. The beauty of gemstones lies in their intricate patterns, shapes and colors. The word “gem” comes from the Latin word “jemma,” which means “to be stuck together.” Most gemstones are formed by natural processes such as crystallization or mineral deposition. However, sometimes gemstones are artificially created using various techniques such as carving or mining. Although each type of gemstone has a different origin story, most can be classified into one of five categories: precious or rare; semiprecious and semi-rare; precious and rare; precious and semiprecious; or semiprecious and non-precious.