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Semi-precious stones are easily one of the valuable things on earth. Their value or worth is enough reason to ensure that proper care is given for them. One could cost a fortune and even an impurity or a scratch could ruin their value. Now, although some of them are strong and durable, they could easily end up being scratched, broken and even just dirtied if mishandled or not given enough care. Though there is not much we could do to actually care for them, there are some necessary precautions we must keep in mind.
Remember that regardless of the hardness of a substance, it could still ultimately be broken down to small bits once pressure is applied at the right points. And s, before setting out for a workout routine at the gym, it would be advisable to take off any rings or other which have semi-precious stones as they could end up smashed or banged on various hard equipment, causing damages or breaks.
The process of cleaning semi-precious stones also requires some level of knowledge about the said stones. Generally, there are two kinds of gemstones: the transparent ones and the opaque ones. The transparent gemstones would make dust visible even when it gathers behind the that is on a ring or on any form of jewelry which holds them. Usually, these are single stones and so, the application of water would not be affecting them too much. Using a soaked cloth in cleaning the dust gather behind it would not be a wrong move. You could even make use of a brush in cleaning the dust.
There are several semi-precious stones which are used as gemstones in the crystal form or in the form they are mainly mined in. However, most actually still have to be cut and then polished before using them as gemstones for , accessories and other ornaments and adornments. There are basically two main types: the first would be the stones which are cut as smooth and dome-shaped stones that are called cabochons; and the second one would be those stones which are cut using a faceting machine to polish small flat windows or facets at regular intervals.
Those semi-precious stones that are opaque like turquoise, opal, variscite and others are typically cut as cabochons. These are generally designed to show the color of the stone or the beautiful properties of the surface like in star sapphires and opals. Equipment like polishing agents and grinding wheels are basically used for the grinding, shaping and polishing to attain the stone's smooth dome shape.
On the other hand, that are transparent are typically faceted. This is a method that would make sure that the stone's interior's optical properties are shown to its maximum advantage, as the sparkle or the reflected light seen by viewers is maximized.
There are a lot of shapes that are commonly used for faceted stones. Facets have to be cut at exactly the proper angles, and this would vary depending on the gemstone's optical properties. Angles must not be too shallow or too steep, as light may pass through and not be properly reflected to the viewer. A faceting machine is normally used to hold the stone flat for accurate cutting and efficient polishing.