What are Semi-Precious stones vs Fashion or costume jewelry

Today I would like start out to educate on the different kinds of jewelry.

Fashion jewelry or costume jewelry, is usually made with base metals and simulated stones.

Simulated gemstones are usually fake stones and made of a material that resembles the appearance of a natural gemstone but has different chemical and physical properties. Fake gemstones are cheap and are usually made of glass or some kind of plastic. The metal pieces are often made with brass, copper, or aluminum, which bend and tarnish easily.

A gemstone (also called a gem, fine gem, jewel, precious stone, or semi-precious stone) is a piece of mineral crystal which, in cut and polished form, is used to make jewelry or other adornments. However, certain rocks (such as lapis lazuli and opal) and occasionally organic materials that are not minerals (such as amber, jet, and pearl) are also used for jewelry and are therefore often considered to be gemstones as well. Most gemstones are hard, but some soft minerals are used in jewelry because of their luster or other physical properties that have aesthetic value. Rarity is another characteristic that lends value to a gemstone.

My work begins with a real semi-precious stone or several stones that combine in color and sometimes several types of stones and spacers together making unique designs.

Below are Stones before I turn them into jewelry. First picture are strands of Amethyst, second picture loose agates and jasper stones.