What Makes a Gem a Gem? Of the many varieties of minerals in the Earth, only about twenty varieties qualify as gemstones. A gemstone must possess superior qualities of transparency, hardness, brilliancy, and colour. A gem must be able to be cut and polished without disintegrating if it is to be fashioned into a lasting piece of jewelry. A degree of rarity is also required in gemstones, though there are deposits of minerals in the world which would be

called gem quality except for the fact that they are simply too rare to create a market.

Rough minerals are mined from the Earth and tend to be full of obstructing inclusions. From these rocks, the gemologist must cut the flawless, clear "gemmy" pieces which will be faceted or cut into cabochons. These procedures bring out the brilliance of a jewel because of the way they refract or reflect light.

Many gemstones are actually different varieties of the same single mineral. Ruby and Sapphire both come from the mineral Corundum. Emerald and Aquamarine are both Beryls. The Quartz family offers an astonishing variety of gems, including Amethyst, Citrine, and Tigereye.

Gems are mined all over the world, each variety being the magnificent result of geological activity. For hundreds of years, man has uncovered these ancient secrets from deep within the Earth and brought them to light to beautify life.