Category #5

A Jeweler's Tidbit
of Knowledge

     INCLUSIONS ARE NOT BAD THINGS! Inclusions are any interruptions of the crystal
both inside the gemstone and on the surface; visible and unseen.
     The public seems to have a skewed understanding of inclusions probably originating from
their exposure to the diamond market. Diamonds are graded using negative or derogatory terms to describe inclusions such as "flaws" and "imperfections". This grading system portrays diamonds being bad somehow if the grade is less than perfect..
     Considering that diamonds are not nearly as geologically rare as the diamond industry would have us believe, the grading descriptions, in my opinion, are an attempt to persuade the consumer to spend more money and justify a contrived value. Why, for example, are there no esthetic differences among the first 6 (out of 10) clarity grades?
     The colored gemstone market is very different. Supply and demand is the rule and a gem's true value is shown by its desirability and price. There are no accepted grading systems to use. And inclusions, which most gemstones have, if not unattractive or risking the stone's durability, are seen as a valued collection of information. They tell us whether a gemstone is of natural vs. synthetic origin, if the stone has been treated in some way (and there are many, many gemstones treated now-a-days), and often, where the gem comes from.
     In short, inclusions are often seen as beauty marks or pedigrees, not flaws or imperfections.
     Understanding inclusions gives people a better perspective when shopping for gems and
appreciation for what they already own.