How much does fashion and rareness of a stone influence its price?

So, what else can make your stone attractive? Often we are intrigued by anything that is not that beautiful or useful, but because it is rare. Especially if we speak of rare gems.

Synthetic emerald or ruby has the same chemical and physical characteristics as that of a natural stone. Its color and clarity is much better than those of the most of the natural stones. Nevertheless, any perfect synthetic stone is much cheaper than imperfect ingenious gem, because we can get as many of synthetics in a lab as we like.

The thought that the Mother Nature needed centuries to create your natural stone (and an accident brought it to you) influences the wish to have it and therefore the price goes up.

Is your stone one of a kind? If not, maybe you have any dear memories that you recall every time you look at it? Is it given to you by a dear person? All this is very individual, but influences the real price. This is why a piece of jewelry preowned by a famous person (or made by a famous jeweler) costs more, than a visually equal piece of jewelry that does not have a history behind it.

What else influences the price of a gem? Fashion. Though, this is a temporary variable in the price. Whatever has been in fashion yesterday is going to be forgotten tomorrow. Only few gems are practically not touched by the fashion dictate. You can guess, that they are diamonds, rubies, sapphires and emeralds.

Some time ago pearls were rare enough to be beyond fashion. Now the pearls are cultivated and became an "ordinary" gem.

Here is another sample of how fashion influences the price. Opaque black crystals of carbonado were used for rock drills, saws and other industrial purposes, until... somebody has made them fashionable. So, now it is being put into the most expensive pieces of jewelry together with the timeless gems.

One little note. You probably have your own style. Do you choose your gems so they go with your style and not just the stones that are in fashion? Remember, that your jewelry should go with your style and the places you wear them to. The proper use of your jewelry adds to its attraction and therefore the price.