Many people think of gems as shiny, beautiful pieces, but this can be only attributed to the polished stones that are finely cut by jewelers. When it comes to the natural raw gemstones, you need a trained eye to identify them. There are several ways to train the eye to spot such unpolished gems.
Instructions
Read about natural raw gemstones to learn more about the gems in their original state. There are many books that describe the stones and include photos of them in the natural state.
Visit a science museum. It will have exhibits of gemstones, rocks and minerals. They are an example for anyone interested in recognizing them in the field. Some museums may allow you to take pictures so that you can build a personal database of gemstone illustrations.
Join a group of people who share your interest. Group members may have information about local opportunities to find natural gems and new tricks to identify them.
Visit a local gem mine, if there is one nearby. This is a good opportunity to see the gems in their natural state or even inside a rock. A rock that might contain a gem can be cracked with a mining pick to discover whether it is a precious stone.