Everything that glitters is not gold. It might be a bead or a gemstone. And man has been collecting and using them for a long time. The attraction of gloss and glitter is inexplicable, and has been the butt of the satire of poets and philosophers for long. Still, gemstones keep charming men for various reasons. They are beautiful and attractive. They are a repository of value and are great financial assets. They act as charms and good-fortune stones in local cultures, astrology and other belief systems.

Beads are small decorative objects that are pierced and strung together to form a necklace or some other object. Their size can range from a few millimeters to more than a centimeter. Beads are made from a variety of materials like stones, plastic, bones, glass, polymer, resin, wood, ceramic, fiber, seeds or even paper. In some cultures they are very popular and are supposed to induce good fortune or ward off evils. Some are said to bring success.

Gemstones are precious and semiprecious objects that are used primarily as part of jewelry and decorative items, but are also used as collectibles. They can be rock, mineral, or even organic products like amber or jet. Although most are used as part of jewelry, some may be too soft for such use, and are used as decorative items. Gems are characterized by their refractive index, specific gravity, hardness, clarity, dispersion, cleavage, fracture, luster, etc. The precious gemstones might be very costly, and include mainly five gems: diamond, ruby, sapphire, emerald and amethyst.

Gemstones as part of jewelry have always been an object of adoration and envy. Famous gemstone collection of royalty or rich collectors raise huge excitement during display or auctions. While rationalists might always argue about the utility and purpose of beads and gemstones, the glitter of the gemstones will always charm us. And many among us would still believe somehow they can benefit us. This section of the webdirectory is a virtual treasure island, guiding you to all the best places where you can buy your beads and gemstones.

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