Gemstones have delighted and inspired mankind for centuries. Same as diamonds, gemstone value and quality are evaluated based on the 4Cs - Cut, Clarity, Color and Carat. There is also the fifth element - Perception.

A gemstone's cut refers to its proportions and symmetry and is essential in making a gemstone look appealing. A well-cut, faceted gemstone reflects light evenly across its surface area when held face-up. A good-cut gemstone can add or subtract quite a lot of beauty to a stone. If the stone is cut too deep or narrow, the areas will be dark. If the stone is cut too shallow and wide, the light will leak from the stone causing it to look lifeless or washed-out.

A flawless gemstone is rare and usually extravagantly priced. As with diamonds, most gemstones have inclusions, or tiny mineral flaws, that can be seen under magnification or by the careful eye.

Colour is the most important factor when it comes to selecting coloured gemstones. It is often misinterpret that the darker the colour the better the stone.

Colour can be too dark for instance some sapphires look more black than blue. If the coloured gemstones are overly dark, it tends to be subdued and lifeless. The rule of thumb is the brighter, richer and more vivid the colour, the better. Within each gemstones variety it is the clear, medium-tone, very intense and saturated basic colour that is most preferred. Muted colours or colours between hues are usually less expensive.

The conclusion is, always remember to look at the colour of the gemstones in different kinds of light, since the light spectrum can affect gem colour greatly.

Gemstones are generally sold by weight instead of size. Some stones are denser than others, the same weight stone may be of a different size. The carat weight also affects the price. Large gemstones are rare, therefore it is more valuable.

The better the final visual of all the quality factors of the stone the more valuable the stone is. However, different varieties of gemstones have different prices. This what we called perception.

The cheaper coloured gemstones are those that are readily available as well as the lower demand coloured stones (brown and yellow stones). There are many beautiful, rare gemstones that cost less than gems that are common - simply because they possess an uncommon name. People tends to relate them to an inexpensive item.

The more common gemstones are ruby, sapphire and emerald. They are often termed as "precious stones". Other coloured gemstones are called "semi-precious stones".