Colored gemstones have been in demand for centuries. There are several well known varieties of stones which include ruby, garnet, jade, peridot and sapphire. Much before the science of gemology became popular; some of the stones were not even recognized and named properly. There were times when spinel was confused with sapphire or ruby and it was only in the late 19th century that one came to know about its distinct properties. Similarly, jade was known to have two different species in 1863, namely jadeite and nephrite.
At present, there are over 100 different colored varieties of gemstones available in the market. Some of the stones which you will easily find at your local jeweler include ruby, emerald, , tanzanite, aquamarine, pyrope garnet, opal, and sapphire.
Retail jewelers house a limited number of stones due to supply shortage. For example, natural spinel is extremely popular among gem dealers for their fire and glow. But at the same time the gem is extremely rare. Chances are that you will also not come across stones such as zircon, spessartite garnet, rubellite tourmaline or chrome, tsavorite and alexandrite easily at your local jewelry store.
This is precisely the reason why loose colored gemstones from India are in demand. Often the quality of the loose colored gemstones used in jewelry is poor as the jeweler chooses to focus on the whole piece rather than on the individual stones. If you wish to purchase top quality gemstones, then you need to procure them from reputed gem dealers who specialize in the same. Specialized dealers also offer a certification from reputed gemological laboratories. You can also select from a wide variety of stones since the collection at a gem dealer is pretty extensive in comparison to a local jeweler.
Loose colored gemstones from India can now also be purchased online. There is a huge selection available just at the click of a mouse. There are a number of jewelers offering their stock online for customers around the globe. In fact gem dealers now have a far more knowledgeable clientele to cater to. They are well read and know what to look for while purchasing gems. The Internet has in fact created a niche market for such loose colored gemstones from India. They are comparatively lower priced and generate faster turnover. All you need to be careful about is that you procure it from reputable and trusted dealers.
