Why Are Gems So Valuable?

Mankind has been fascinated with gemstones for thousands of years. They have
been used all through history, an example being the Egyptians, who wore gems and
jewels on their clothing and jewellery. The oldest known man-made jewellery however
has been dated all the way back to the Middle Stone Age 75,000 to 100,000 years ago.
Gemstones were and still used for aesthetic ornamentation, or for use as a spiritual and
sometimes religious symbol’s. The main way gems are mined can be in many ways such
as Artisanal Mining, Hard rock mining, marine mining, open pit mining, and placer
mining. Most mining however is underground, which makes it tough to get the gems, but
the pay-off at the current state of our economy is greater then the cost. Almost all gems
are formed beneath the earth’s surface, however though there is a difference from where
they are formed, and where they are found. Volcanoes alone can make gems from beneath
the surface rise at least 400km. Minerals such as agate, amethyst; opal, turquoise, and
malachite/azurite can form near a body of water, which is an example of how gems can
form in many different environments and biomes.
There are many different types of gemstones in the world today. Diamond could arguably
be the most popular and well known gem, as well as the toughest. Corundum’s like rubies
and sapphires are the world’s second hardest gemstone, next to the diamond. Another
example is quartz; it is one of the most common types of minerals and comes in a variety
of colors. Out of all the different types however, the most valuable is the ruby. The most
famous source of rubies comes from Myanmar, which produces intensely pinkish red
rubies, which are vivid and extremely beautiful. Burma rubies have a reputation of
holding their vivid color under all lighting conditions. Rubies can also be found in
Thailand, these stones are more of a true red color, compared to the pinkish of the
Myanmar ones. Rubies from Kenya and Tanzania surprised the world when they
discovered rubies in the sixties because their color rivals the world's best. For thousands
of years, the ruby has been considered one of the most valuable gemstones on Earth. It
carries this value because it is simply so rare and beautiful, diamonds come in second as
the most valuable gem because of it rarity in nature. Emeralds and sapphires are also at
the top of the value scale. These gems are the gems that are in the most demand around
the world.
It is predicted that we still have centuries and centuries of gemstones left to mine,
considering there are many undiscovered gemstones, just waiting to be found. Despite no
shortage in stock, gems will keep their current value for many years to come. Considering
how expensive it is to mine them, and how rare actually finding them is. Society will pay
great money for these beautiful pieces of nature.