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Colored Loose Natural Gemstones & Precious Stones Jewelry - A Beginners Guide - Gemstone Meanings - Rubies, Emeralds, Sapphires and More
Colored Loose Gemstones & Precious Stones Jewelry - A Beginners Guide
It is possible you have never heard of the term loose gemstones before. To you gemstones come set in jewelry - end of story. Often that changes when you decide to get married and the shopping for rings begins. For many this is the first exposure to the fact that like anything, rings get made from raw materials. It's just their raw materials are precious metals and loose gemstones or diamonds. It is interesting to explore where they come from and how they get to your home town and the issues surround fair trade gems.
Unlike the diamond market which is well structured with centres of trading in Antwerp, New York and Tel Aviv, the market for colored loose gemstones is far more fluid. Given that many colored gemstones are mined by small operators in various parts of the world it is more difficult to organise this market. The International Colored Gemstone Association said that 80% of stones are coming from small scale mining, and of these 90% are located in developing countries.
For example the president of the Sri Lankan Gem merchants federation said in 2002 there were over five thousand mining sites registered in Sri Lanka. Most of them are bucket and spade operations where the mining pits are three metres square and go to depths of only about 25 metres.
The other factor that makes regulation of the industry hard is that loose gemstones are commonly sold at local markets. The miners want to turn their rough stones to cash as soon as possible and often do not have the means to travel far to go to central markets. Buyers and dealers in rough stones will purchase these offerings and offer them to wholesalers in foreign markets.
An Australian sapphire mine found that their stones would pass through a supply chain of up to six people from the mine door until it reached the retail purchaser. Each time the stones changed hands someone was making a significant mark-up.
Due to the location and small size of many of the colored gemstone miners there has been an increased interest in the fair trade aspects of loose gemstones. With large proportions of the world stones coming from developing countries it is important to make sure the benefits are going back to the people. In situations like this corruption, child labour, working conditions, money laundering, terrorism (and the list goes on and on) become ethical considerations.
With the support of governments, and bodies such as the World Bank, initiatives such as gemstone bodies and education programs are improving the outlook for communities. Fair trade is a wonderful idea but a fine balance has to be maintained between sanctioning countries that are treating their workers exploitatively and the impact such sanctions have on the miners themselves. If we stop buying Burmese rubies, the miner in Burma will ultimately pay the price for factors outside his control. There is no easy answer on this.
The loose gemstones market is a fascinating and fraught one, but the gemstones themselves are pure works of beauty.
Your ultimate source for loose natural colored gemstones, designer gemstone jewelry creations, from rings to necklaces- now available on Bello Jewels.
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 10mm Golden Blue Sand Gem Stone Square Loose Beads 16L  US $2.99
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 10X7mm Pink Sea Coral Gem Carved Rose Loose Beads US $8.49
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 100pcs AAA Turquoise Gem Round Loose Bead 4mmT US $.99
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 50Pcs Gary Glass Abacus Gem Loose Bead 8x4mm24 US $1.04
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 50Pcs Lt Azone Glass Abacus Gem Loose Bead 8x4mm03 US $1.04
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 50pcs AAA Turquoise Gem Round Loose Bead 6mmT US $.99
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 30pcs AAA Turquoise Mixed color Gem Oval Loose Beads 8mmT US $.99
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 10mm Indian Labradorite Round Loose Gemstones Beads 15 US $3.25
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 10Pcs Mixed Flower Lampwork Glass Gem Loose Beads US $2.99
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 50Pcs Black Glass Abacus Gem Loose Bead 8x4mmB US $.99
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 7MM FLUORITE JASPER JADE MULTI GEM LOOSE BEAD 15 2 3 US $1.38
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 4mm Purple Alexandrite Faceted Round Gem Loose Beads 15 US $3.25
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 Hot 90Pcs Agate Onyx Gem Round Loose Bead 4mm 214 US $.99
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 Hot 90Pcs Dark green Agate Onyx Gem Round Loose Bead 4mm 217 US $.99
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 Hot 90Pcs Green Agate Onyx Gem Round Loose Bead 4mm 219 US $.99
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 Hot 90Pcs Dark blue Agate Onyx Gem Round Loose Bead 4mm 218 US $.99
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 Hot 90Pcs Orange Agate Onyx Gem Round Loose Bead 4mm 224 US $.99
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 Hot 90Pcs Yellow Agate Onyx Gem Round Loose Bead 4mm 223 US $.99
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 8x15mm White Turkey Turquoise Gem Drip Loose Bead 15 US $2.79
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 6MM BLACK ONYX AGATE GEMSTONE ROUND BALL LOOSE BEAD GEM US $3.49
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 4MM NATURAL TIGEREYE CABOCHON PEBBL LOOSE GEMSTONE BEAD US $3.99
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 Lapis Lazuli Wafer Loose Gemstone Beads Strand LC011 US $5.79
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 16MM Lapis Lazuli Wafer Loose Beads Gem Strand LC020 US $7.79
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 8mm New Natural Lapis Lazuli Globe Loose Beads Gem G0156 US $5.99
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 Brazilian Azurite Teardrop Loose Beads Gem Strand LA228 US $5.99
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 6MM Natural Amethyst Round Loose Beads Gem Strand LC105 US $4.99
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 8MM Natural Fluorite Round Loose Gemstone Beads LC117 US $3.59
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 Green Turquoise Amorphous Gem Loose Beads 16 P004 US $4.95
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 14mm Chrysocolla Ball Loose Beads Gem 27pcs G2757 US $6.30
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 17x13mm Zebra Turquoise Oblong Loose Beads Gem G2984 US $5.50
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 6mm Blue Stripe Agate Onyx Gem Round Loose Bead 15AAA US $1.04
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 4mm Egyptian Lapis Lazuli Gem Round Loose Bead 15 US $1.04
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 10mm Red Howlite Turquoise Flower Gem Round Loose Bead US $3.49
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 50Pc Milky White Glass Abacus Gem Loose Bead 10x4mmw US $.99
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 8mm Blue Stripe Turquoise Gem Round Loose Bead 15 US $.60
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 10mm Howlite Turquoise Flower Round Gem 15L Loose Bead US $3.49
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 12MM Fire Dragon Veins Agate Loose Gemstone Beads LG033 US $5.59
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 1 Strand Purple Chips Amethyst Gem Loose Beads 35L New US $.99
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 6mm Sri Lanka Sapphire Round Loose Gemstone Beads 15 US $.99
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 8mm Faceted Watermelon Tourmaline Gem loose Bead 15 US $1.94
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 10mm Faceted Watermelon Tourmaline Gem loose Bead 15 US $1.94
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 10MM Fire Dragon Veins Agate Loose Gemstone Beads LG032 US $4.59
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 10MM Black Agate Onyx Gem Round Loose Bead 20pcs US $1.25
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 10mm 15 Black Frost Agate Onyx Gem Round Loose Bead US $2.87
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 12MM Fire Dragon Veins Agate Loose Gemstone Beads LG029 US $4.99
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 10MM Fire Dragon Veins Agate Loose Gemstone Beads LG030 US $3.99
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 8mm White Forst Agate Gem Round Loose Bead 15AAA US $2.36
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 Multicolor Swarovski Crystal Gem Loose Beads 6x8mm72pc US $3.00
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 8mm Faceted Brazilian Aquamarine Gem Loose Beads 15 US $1.44
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 13x Howlite Turquoise Rhombus Gem Loose Beads 110660 NEW US $.10
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 8mm Faceted Watermelon Tourmaline Gem loose Bead 15 US $1.58
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 Excellent8x16mm Black Agate Gem Twisting Loose Bead 15 M 100 US $1.34
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 100pcs Silver Crystal Gem Loose Bead 4x6mm M 99 US $.99
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 10mm Blue Turkey Turquoise Gem Round Loose Bead 15 US $2.79
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 6mm Faceted Moonstone Gem Round Loose Bead 15 US $.99
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 Ss68 Lapis Lazuli GEM Gemstone Oval Loose Beads Jewelry Findings Strand 16L US $7.88
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 6x8mm TIGER EYE GEM GEMSTONE LOOSE BEADS 1 STRAND US $3.99
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 8mm Egyptian Lapis Lazuli Gem Round Loose Bead 15 US $2.84
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 10mm Brazilian Aquamarine Gem Round Loose Bead 15 M 96 US $.99
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 10mm Egyptian Lapis Lazuli Gem Round Loose Bead 15 US $3.23
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 Light Green Crystal Faceted Loose Beads Gem 35PCS 5x8MM SD035 US $.99
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 Big 2030mm Oval high quality Natural Ametrine loose gemstone 15 beads los281 US $9.98
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