[Jewelry making - Article 00132] - Re: [Orchid] Using the term semi precious gems

[Helen Hill]

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Dear Richard,

>     I used to tell people who used the term semiprecious that now ge=
>     ms that were inexpensive 30 years ago are now sold by the carat, and
>     gems that were a few bucks cost hundreds of dollars, when you spend
>     that much, they are now precious. 

    From being a child I have always taken an interest in, read books
    about and collected gem material. It always amazes me that the
    general public (I hate that term as we are all members of the
    general public where other professions are concerned) are (forgive
    me) so ignorant when it comes to gems and their value. My mother in
    law has such narrow minded opinions and won't tolerate gems that
    she's not familiar with. I showed her a ring I recently purchased
    with three lovely Spessartine garnets. She said they were washed out
    as garnets should be red!!! I tried to educate her as to the
    existence of garnets such as Rhodolite, Merelani mint, Spessartine,
    Demantoid, Tsavorite, Hessonite, etc, etc but she wouldn't have it. I
    also have a lovely ruby ring with gorgeous pigeon blood red rubies
    but she says they are not red enough and that rubies should be
    scarlet. She will, however, happily spend plenty of money on lots of
    cheap jewellery with plastic or glass "stones" - as will many other
    people. I don't understand that mentality. 

    People are so stuck in the past, believing that garnets, amethysts,
    aquamarine, etc, etc are second rate "semi precious" stones and just
    don't see the beauty and value of them. In many cases they won't buy
    jewellery containing such stones as they see them as almost
    worthless but will buy plastic! Go figure. 

Helen
UK
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