Does Commercializing Gemstones Diminish Their Value?

Many years ago, gems were a common trade item with a very high value.  If you had one or two gemstones, you could afford to live well.  These days, you can buy a strand of gemstones for a few dollars, and it leaves me wondering if perhaps they are losing their mystique and value, now that they have been commercialized.

The more we produce of an item, the less desirable or valuable it is.  Take a look at the shelves of your local Walmart.  There are not many items there that you would place a high value on, and when said items are used up, most of us don’t give second thought to throwing them away.  Are gemstones the new plastic in terms of worth?

Gemstones used to be more valuable because it was difficult to get them.  Now, assembly lines have made their way to the earth, and mass extraction is a common way of getting stones.  With machines and workers, we tear huge holes in the ground to get even the tiniest of stones.  I think this practice not only devalues the stones, but also destroys our world, all for a little bit of money.

Mining practices aside, this huge influx of stones has created a perception of plenty in our minds, and we no longer feel as emotionally attached to stones.  It stands to reason that this will reduce their efficacy in healing, too, because we no longer hold them in the esteem we used to.

While it does no good to wish, I long for a simpler time when stones were valued at their real worth as a part of our world, and not just a commodity to be made rich on.