Quick and affordable online appraisals of Gemstones
Communicate directly with a qualified
Gemstones
specialist and get a fair market valuation of your item, typically in 48 hours or less.
How much are my gemstones worth?
Have you recently inherited or purchased a gemstone and want to know its value? Mearto provides quick and affordable online appraisals of gemstones. All you have to do is click on the “Start Appraisal” button above and follow the steps to send us information about and images of your gemstone. One of our qualified and experienced specialists will review and get back to you with a fair market and insurance value, typically within 48 hours.
Have questions about the valuation provided, or would you like some advice about selling your gemstone? We are here to help! Our platform allows you to chat back and forth with a specialist to ensure that all of your questions are answered.
What is a gemstone?
A gemstone, also referred to as jewel, semi-precious stone, or gem, is a piece of mineral crystal that can be cut and polished to be used for adornment. Certain rocks, such as lapis lazuli and opals or other organic minerals like amber and pearl, are used as adornments and jewelry and, can therefore be considered gemstones. Many gemstones are hard stones, but some soft minerals are also valued for their aesthetic properties. Gemstones have been used to adorn manuscripts, jewelry, sculpture, and various types of tools and utensils.
How are gemstones valued?
Of course, rarity plays an important role in the value of gemstones. The distinction between precious and semi-precious stones is a retired distinction in modern gemology, though diamonds, rubies, sapphires, and emeralds still have a reputation that exceeds those of other gemstones. Gemstones have no universally accepted grading system (unlike diamonds). Physical characteristics such as color and clarity dictate the value of gemstones. Blue and pink diamonds are often considered gemstones and can be extremely valuable. “The Pink Star” diamond was sold at Sotheby’s auction in Hong Kong in 2017 for a record-breaking $71.2 million; $1.19 million per carat. “The Oppenheimer Blue” diamond sold for a final price of $57.5 million at Christie’s in 2016 with the most valuable price per carat at $3.93 million.
The ten rarest gems in the world are:
The ten most valuable types of gemstones are:
How can I tell if my gemstone is fake?
Synthetic gemstones are chemically and physically identical to natural gemstones, but are created in laboratory settings. Imitation or simulated gemstones are chemically different, but visually similar to natural gemstones. Examples of simulated or imitation stones include cubic zirconia, which look similar to a true gem, but does not possess the same chemical or physical properties of a natural stone. Cultured, synthetic, or "lab-created" gemstones are not imitations: the bulk materials are chemically the same. Whether or not a gemstone is natural stone or synthetic, the chemical, physical, and optical characteristics are the same. Often synthetic gemstones are brighter in color and clarity; impurities in natural gemstones are not present in synthetic stones and are created at a cost significantly less than natural gemstones.
Why are uncut gemstones less expensive than cut stones?
The “cut” of a stone is often one of the most important factors in determining the value of a stone. The “cut” of a stone does not refer to the shape, but rather the proportion, symmetry, and polish. These factors determine how light intersects and is reflected from the stone; the quality of “sparkle” so to speak. Shaping a stone to maximize these factors is labor intensive and requires a skilled artisan. This labor is therefore factored into the price of the stone.
