For centuries, the beauty of gemstones has attracted attention. With around 200 varieties already discovered, it is likely that many undiscovered treasures await discovery. Each gemstone is unique, possessing its own distinct qualities and symbolic significance. While these precious stones have diverse applications, ranging from religious rituals to electrical purposes, their most prevalent use is in jewellery. Gemstones grace all types of jewellery adding an extra touch of elegance. In this post, we will explore a wide range of gemstones commonly found in jewellery pieces.
Alexandrite
Alexandrite is a which appears green in sunlight and red in incandescent light and is often describes as “Emerald by day, ruby by night”. This stone is extremely rare, so it can fetch a high price.
Amber
Amber, an organic gem, originates from fossilized tree resin. It displays a stunning array of colours, ranging from honey-like shades to golden yellows and rich oranges.
Amethyst
Amethyst attracts attention with its purple hues, which range from delicate lavender to deep violet.
Ametrine
Ametrine is a transparent gemstone that combines the vibrant colours of amethyst and citrine giving it a blend of purple and gold hues
Aquamarine
Aquamarine is a green-blue gemstone which appears a sea-blue colour when treated with heat.
Citrine
Citirine is a gemstone which ranges from pale yellow to brownish orange. Natural citrine is a rarity in the market. The majority of citrine stones available are a result of heat treatment applied to amethyst.
Diamond
Diamonds are the most popular and expensive gemstone, valued by their clarity, colour, cut, and carat weight. These stones form under high temperatures and pressures and are usually colourless.
Fancy Colour Diamond
Fancy-coloured diamonds, with only 1 in every 10,000 diamonds exhibiting such rarity, stand amongst the rarest and most expensive gemstones.
Emerald
Emerald is a green gemstone which is a variety of beryl. Emeralds are very rare stones and often imitated.
Garnet
Garnet comes in a range of colours but is most commonly encountered in a deep red hue.
Jade
Jade is a green gemstone which occurs in two variants, Jadeite and Nephrite.
Kunzite
Kunzite is a gemstone named after gemologist George F. Kunz known for its exquisite pastel hues, ranging from pale pink to lilac.
Lapiz Lazuli
Lapis Lazuli is a soft gemstone with a deep blue colour and golden pyrite specks
Moonstone
Moonstone is a gemstone which is usually blueish to silvery white. The most interesting feature is the process of adularescence which occurs when light enters the stone. This creates an effect of blue flashes in the stone.
Morganite
Morganite ,named after J.P Morgan, is a gemstone with soft shades ranging from blush to peach.
Onyx
Onyx is a deep black gemstone with a smooth, glossy appearance.
Opal
Opal is a gemstone which displays flashing rainbow colours known as play-of-colour. Opals are divided in to five categories : White/light, Black, Fire, Boulder and Crystal/Water.
Pearl
Pearls are some of the most iconic gemstones and can be natural or cultured. They appear in a variety of colours but are usually white or cream.
Peridot
Peridot is a gemstone with a rich green colour caused by the presence of iron.
Rose Quartz
Rose quartz is one of many quartz gemstones. It ranges from a very light to
medium dark colour.
Ruby
Ruby is one of the five precious gemstones and often comes at a high price. It
can range from pink to dark red.
Sapphire
Sapphires come in a range of colours with the most sought after being blue, pink and yellow.
Spinel
Spinel is a gemstone that comes in a variety of colours, with vibrant red being the most well-known. Due to its its brilliance and colour range it’s often mistaken for other gemstones
Tanzanite
Tanzanite is a blue violet gemstone named after Tanzania by Tiffany& Co
Topaz
Topaz earns its reputation as an inexpensive blue gemstone due to the prevalence of this color in jewellery. However, it is important to note that topaz can occur in a wide range of colours, and blue is rarely its natural colour.
Tourmaline
Tourmaline is an inexpensive gemstone with one of the widest colour ranges. Some
colour variations have their own names such as rubellite, indicolite, Paraiba.
Turquoise
Turquoise, an opaque stone, occasionally displays irregular veins or patches, hence the nickname Robin’s blue egg.
Zircon
Zircon, often confused with cubic zirconia, naturally occurs as a gemstone and comes in an array of colours.
These are just a few examples of the diverse and captivating gemstones found in the world of jewellery. Each gemstone possesses its own unique characteristics, allure, and cultural significance, making them cherished and loved by many.