How to Select the Perfect Gemstones for Your DIY Jewelry

Now you might think that choosing the right combination of stones will rely mostly on aesthetics such as color, but that’s not always the case. Although color is a significant factor, gemstones that suit your personality and fashion style are the ones primarily chosen for your personalized jewelry. And yes, each gemstone is known to have its own personality and even healing ability.

Here are some factors that should be considered when you mix and match gemstones:

Availability

The first thing you should consider when choosing gemstones is, of course, its availability. There are some stones that are so rare and limited that no matter what you do, you won’t be able to find one, let alone one that fits your taste.

Ordinary gemstones such as amethyst and citrine can be bought from just about any jewelry store. For the rare ones, try your luck with local and foreign online suppliers. Other times, there are cases where the gemstone is available, but the size or shape of your desired gemstone is not. Finding the right shape and size is usually an issue since some gemstones are restricted to a single size. However, having an ideal size for your jewelry piece can narrow down the choices for you.

Alexandrite and demantoid garnet are recommended for smaller accent stones. If large green center stones are more of your style, you can choose from chrysoberyl, emerald, tourmaline, or sapphire. Take note that for sapphire, only karats with lower value – less than 12 – are widely available.

Affordability

Choosing the right gemstone will depend on your budget. If this doesn’t apply to you, natural and untreated gemstones are the way to go. Treated and enhanced gems are another option if you’re on a budget. At present, treated gems are preferred over untreated ones because of its wider selection and popularity.

Durability and Wearability

When we say durability, it means the level of hardness. And when we say wearability, this refers to the gem’s capacity to withstand wear and tear. Every gemstone has different levels of durability and wearability which is influenced by factors such as hardness, cleavage, fracture, tenacity, and sensitivity. Not only does this measure the gem’s resistance to scratches but also the gem’s resistance to different kinds of damage. Some hard stones, such as diamond and topaz, can easily be split in half with a single blow compared to softer gems like nephrite and jadeite which are more durable.

Versatility

In choosing the right gemstones, versatility plays a critical role especially if you plan to wear your jewelry often. White diamonds basically go with anything and can be worn any time of any day. However, if you want your jewelry to pop with a little color but is versatile at the same time, gems such as sapphire, tourmaline, garnet, spinel, aquamarine, and kunzite is the best choice for you.

Hope this guide helps you to find the gemstones for your upcoming DIY jewelry making session!