Being simply "pretty" is never enough. Gemstones follow a set of strict, globally recognized rules. Whether a stone can officially be called a gemstone comes down to four uncompromising criteria: - Beauty: It must have stunning color, transparency, and fire (the way it disperses light into rainbow flashes). - Durability: A Mohs hardness of at least 7.5 - resistant to scratches, stable under heat, and unaffected by acids. - Rarity: Naturally scarce in the earth, and even lab-grown versions are difficult to produce. The most famous precious gemstones are...
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