What is an ornamental stone

According to the classification, the earth's crust consists mainly of minerals and rocks. Minerals include solid formations, which most often have a crystalline structure, homogeneous in composition. Rocks are solid, mixed massifs or mineral mixtures.

Many beautiful rocks and minerals are used by jewelers to make various decorations, decor elements, etc. Sufficiently conditionally they are divided into three large groups - ornamental stones, precious and semiprecious.

The second and third group in this article will not be considered in detail. Let's just say that precious stones or, as they are also called, gems are expensive jewelry minerals. Their high cost is explained, to a large extent, by the fact that they are rare enough in nature and have some outstanding unique qualities. Semi-precious - the concept is rather conditional. In fact - this is a large group that combines not too valuable gems and ornamental rocks of very high quality.

An ornamental stone can be either transparent or opaque. At the same time, it should stand out in color, pattern, texture or have some other feature. From precious ornamental stones is distinguished by a high prevalence in nature, less "nobility" and other similar factors. Unlike gems, this is often not a mineral, but a rock.

For example, such stones as malachite, serpentine, jasper, turquoise, lapis lazuli etc. can be referred to ornamental stones. All of them are strongly distinguished from the main mass of rocks. An ornamental stone malachite can have a wide variety of "drawings" and "ornaments", the elements of which unite the bright, very rich green color of the most different tones. The coil also has a pleasant green color, but is less bright.

The color of lapis lazuli can be determined already from its name - bright blue, the same as blue turquoise. Separately, you can distinguish such an ornamental stone as jasper. It is widely distributed in nature, and not all of its varieties are used in jewelry art. This is a rock, which includes several different chemical compositions, as well as the color and texture of the minerals.

The most beautiful and valuable species of all jasper specialists rightly consider Orsk. Most often its color varies from dark cherry to pale pink. In addition, minor inclusions of other colors are often present. Minerals that make up a piece of orchian jasper, beautiful in itself, sometimes also form bizarre drawings that are surprisingly realistic reminiscent of natural landscapes. Therefore, this ornamental stone is also called "landscape".

In addition to those considered, any other beautiful rock or mineral can be used to make jewelry. An ornamental stone is a very wide concept, which includes a huge variety of solid formations of the earth's crust.

Who does not agree to decorate himself or decorate his house with objects made of natural, original and pretty material. Therefore, jewelry, for the manufacture of which an ornamental stone was used, has always been used, used in our time and will enjoy great popularity in the future.