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"My! What a beautiful ring you're wearing!" This compliment never fails to flatter and honor the lucky wearer of the ring or other pieces of jewelry bedecked with precious or semi-precious stones. Most people know the names of only some of these natural treasures. Many people are surprised to learn that all semi-precious stones can be bought inexpensively, not to mention that the precious stones can also be had for far less than one imagined. However, as with everything else in life, you have to pay for the best quality. This lesson will give the reader both information and tips on gem stones and their purchase.
“哇！你戴的戒指好漂亮！”這種贊美總是能夠恭維并讓佩戴鑲著寶石或半寶石戒指或其它珠寶的幸運兒感到光榮。大部分的人只知道一些這類天然珍寶的名字。許多人得知所有的半寶石都可用低價購得時都感到很驚訝，更別提擁有寶石的代價竟也低得出人意料之外。然而，就像生活中其它一切事物一樣，最高質量必須多花錢才能得到。本課將提供讀者有關寶石以及如何選購寶石的信息和秘訣.
Just what are precious and semi-precious stones?
究竟什么是寶石和半寶石呢？
The word semi refers to anything which is half or only partial; thus, semi-precious stones are not precious, by definition. Actually, some high-quality semi-precious stones are far more expensive than some low-grade precious stones, so the terms "precious" and "semi-precious" when applied to stones do not refer necessarily to their cost.
semi這個字指的是任何只有一半或是部分的東西；因此，就定義來說，半寶石并不算寶貴。但實際上，有些高質量的半寶石遠比某些級數低的寶石要貴重許多，所以寶貴和半寶貴的名稱用在石頭上時，未必是指他們的價值而言。
All authorities on gems agree that the diamond, ruby, sapphire, and emerald are precious stones. Some of these experts include the opal as a fifth precious stone while others consider the pearl in this class. The latter may surprise the reader, but on reflection, pearls are also a kind of stone, though organically produced by certain shellfish rather than by geologic forces.
所有的寶石權威都同意，鉆石、紅寶石、藍寶石和綠寶石是寶石。其中有些專家把貓眼石列為第五種寶石，而有些專家則認為珍珠才是第五種寶石。后者也許會讓讀者覺得驚訝，但仔細想想，珍珠也是一種石頭，盡管它是某些貝類而不是地質力產生的有機物體。
Semi-precious stones include all other stones considered worthy of use in jewelry. The list of these stones is very long; suffice it to say that there are several hundred such stones, though most people are aware of only a couple of dozen of their names, and few people can readily recognize more than a couple of any type of stone at all.
半寶石包括具有珠寶使用價值的其它所有石頭在內。這些石頭的名單非常長，可以說有好幾百種這樣的石頭，雖然大部分的人只知道廿幾個名稱，而且僅有極少數人能夠一眼就認出任何種類超過兩種以上的石頭。
Diamonds and the colored stones ruby, sapphire, and emerald are often considered the most expensive among all stones. This is generally true, though quality is more important than stone type on price. One can buy a "real sapphire" for US$10, but it would be considered not much better than junk to a jeweler. These professionals consider several features of stones before assessing their value. Carat size, or the weight of the stone (one carat = 200 milligrams) is one such feature. The cut of the stone is another.
鉆石和紅寶石、藍寶石和綠寶石等有顏色的寶石常被認為是所有寶石中最名貴的。雖然質量對價格的影響比種類更為重要，但一般來說這是事實。雖然你可以用10美金買到一顆“真的藍寶石”，但對珠寶商而言那顆藍寶石比垃圾好不了多少。這些專家在評估寶石的價值之前會考慮幾項要點。克拉大小，或寶石的重量（1克拉＝200毫克）即是其中一項。
Some styles of cuts are considered more costly than others; besides, in the technical cutting of the gem from the rough stone, great care must be taken not to cut into or scratch the surface of the finished stone. The color is also important. Rubies, sapphires, and emeralds, for instance, in order to fetch the highest prices, must be solid colored throughout. Finally, clarity or translucence, with neither streaking nor a "cloudy" inner appearance, also determines the final price. Gems with these qualities are far and few between, commanding nearly astronomical prices. A good jeweler will advise you of these characteristics and how to look for and evaluate them yourself. Also remember that for a gem ring or pendant, roughly 70% of the value of the piece of jewelry is in the primary stone(s), with the rest in labor and metal.
寶石的切割是另一項要點。有些切割方式被認為比其它方式價值高；此外，在把原石加工為寶石的專業切割過程中，必須非常小心，避免切到或刮傷寶石成品的表面。顏色也很重要。例如，紅、藍、綠寶石必須要整顆純色才賣得到最好的價錢。最后，清澈度和透明度——沒有細紋或內部色澤非呈“陰暗”——也決定了最終的價格。具有這些質量的寶石非常稀少，價格幾乎都高達天文數字。好的珠寶商會告訴你這些特性以及你自己如何尋找并評估它們的價值。此外要記住，就寶石戒指或珠寶首飾而言，原石本身大約占珠寶價格的百分之七十，其它才是工錢和金屬的錢。
Specific names of semi-precious stones are too numerous to mention, but jade is well known to Chinese. The finest jade (apple green in color) commands very high bids at auction. The trouble with semi-precious stones is that they are not so hard as precious stones so they far more easily scratch, crack, or chip. If this happens, the value of the semi-precious stones plummets. Diamonds, the hardest natural stone, and rubies and sapphires, the second hardest, are actually rather hard to deface.
半寶石的個別名稱多得不勝枚舉，但中國人對玉卻一點也不陌生。最好的玉（顏色為蘋果綠）在拍賣會上可喊到非常高的價錢。半寶石的缺點是它們不如寶石堅硬，所以比較容易刮傷、龜裂或破成碎片。如果發生這種情形，半寶石的價值就一落千丈。鉆石（最堅硬的天然石）和次硬的紅、藍寶石，要刮傷其表面其實相當困難。
Don't let anyone sell you a "good deal on a gem" on the street. Go to several professional jewelers before committing yourself —— and your money —— to a piece of jewelry with precious or semi-precious stones. Part of the value of that good piece of jewelry is the fact that it can be handed down generation after generation with increasing value. People in all cultures never seem to tire of the brilliance of gems.
別讓任何人在街上賣你一顆“半買半相送”的寶石。在把自己——以及你的錢——投在一件鑲寶石或半寶石的珠寶之前，多找幾家專業的珠寶商。好珠寶的部分價值來自于它可以代代相傳而價值也愈來愈高的事實。各種文化的人們對于耀眼的寶石似乎永遠都不會厭倦。
