BUYING CARNELIAN FOR YOUR JEWELRY
Carnelian, a form of quartz,
is a fairly tough gemstone with a hardness of 7- the same as Amethyst, for instance and is a suitable gemstone for jewelry
in that respect. It might be heat treated. Such treatment, if there is any, would be permanent.
Carnelian
is usually CUT en cabochon for rings and pendants. Inspect the shape of the cabochon to make sure it is well domed, has good
symmetry and is well polished.
Carnelian is also cut in such shapes as beads, teardrops, briolettes. Such cuts
are very attractive in necklaces and earrings.
As for COLOR, carnelian
comes in semitransparent to translucent orange, reddish orange or a low intensity red. Color is an important consideration
when you choose a carnelian. A semitransparent, intense orange is especially luscious.
Carnelian
is available for a very fair price. You can be selective in finding the cut, color and weight for the stones you want in
your jewelry. Find the most beautiful carnelian you can.