GemStones

Gems are valuable, but some are much more valuable than others. Such gems as topaz, aquamarine, and garnet are called semi-precious, and cost much less than precious gems. There are only four minerals that are considered precious gems today: diamond, emerald, and two forms of corundum – ruby and sapphire. Pearl, which is not a mineral but the product of oysters, is also called a precious gem. The largest raw gem ever taken out of the ground is a topaz that weighed 596 pounds – that’s 1,380,000 carats! This huge gem was found in brazil, but is now in the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. Although it’s the largest gem, it’s also a poor quality topaz, so it’s rather dull – looking. The largest gem of true gem quality – which means it’s good enough to use in jewellery – is an aquamarine found in brazil in 1910. This giant gem weighed 229 pounds, which equals 520,000 carats!