What to Look For: Brilliance and Fire in Gemstones

A gem's beauty often comes down to two things: its brilliance and its "fire". Along with its color, these are the qualities that truly captivate us. It's easy to get so mesmerized by this play of light that you lose your objective perspective on the stone's actual quality and value. That feeling of "I must have this" takes over. My advice? When you're ready to buy, make a conscious effort to stay grounded.

Now, what creates this effect? Brilliance isn't just about surface reflections. It also comes from dispersion—the gem's ability to split white light into a sparkling rainbow of colors.

Other phenomena like asterism (that star-like effect) and iridescence (a shimmering play-of-color) can also make a stone more unique and valuable. You'll most often see these stunning effects in gems cut en cabochon.