Precious stones are minerals used in jewelry making and they are true wonders of nature. Each of them has their own color and name that makes them unique and special. Today, we’ll discover the fascinating relationship between the colors and names of precious stones and their main characteristics. But first, we are going to properly define what precious stones, semi-precious stones and gemstones really are.
- Gemstone: gemstones are what we call precious and semi-precious stones as a whole.
- Precious stones: currently there are only 4 gemstones characterized as precious stones. They are diamond, emerald, ruby and sapphire. They are characterized for their beauty, rarity and market value.
- Semi-precious stones: they are all of the gemstones that don’t meet the required characteristics in order to be classified as precious stones and are usually less valuable than these.
However, we should bear in mind that this classification is becoming obsolete, since nowadays the tendency is to avoid using the terms “precious” and “semi-precious”. More than anything, the focus is on the quality, rarity and beauty of the specific gemstone.
Types of gemstone: colors and names
Whatever the type of stone, precious and semi-precious stones stand out for their stunning colors. Let’s look at the main colors and their names so you know how to tell them apart.
Red precious stones
Red gemstones are popular in jewelry making. This is because red is the color of love and passion.
- Ruby: the red precious stone par excellence is the ruby. Its name comes from the Latin (rubeus) and means “red”. It is one of the most valuable gemstones in the world. In addition to being admired for its beauty, it is also valued for its hardness, a basic characteristic when making highly durable jewelry pieces.
- Garnet: this gemstone is a deep red color, although there are a variety of lesser known colors. It is a relatively durable gemstone which is used in the world of jewelry and in different industrial sectors. Transparent garnets or a single color are the most highly valued when it comes to jewelry.
- Ruby spinel: this is another gemstone that we can find in a variety of colors ranging from red to black. However, just like the garnet precious stone, ruby spinel is best known in red. It is often confused with ruby, but by checking its hardness, we can quickly identify which stone is ruby spinel. While ruby has a hardness rating of 9 on the Mohs scale, ruby spinel has a rating of between 7.5 and 8. Even so, it is rather durable and valued in jewelry making.
Yellow precious stones
Yellow precious stones are sparkly and attractive. Let’s take a look at the characteristics of the most popular ones used to make jewelry.
- Yellow topaz: this is an extremely versatile precious stone and is known for its variety of shades. It has a beautiful yellow color thanks to the presence of nitrogen in its crystalline structure. The deeper the yellow color, the more expensive the gemstone will be.
- Citrine: this is a variety of golden and orangey yellow colored crystal quartz. It is often used in making jewelry and is known for its affordability in comparison with other precious stones.
Purple precious stones
Purple precious stones are attractive and elegant.
- Amethyst: this is the best known and most widely used purple precious stone in jewelry to adorn rings, earrings and necklaces. It is a variety of quartz that is found in beautiful shades of deep purple and violet that draw attention.
- Tourmaline: tourmaline is a precious stone that can be found in many different colors, including purple. The clarity of purple tourmaline can vary, and you can even find completely transparent gemstones. This type of purple precious stone with a high clarity is the most highly regarded.
Green precious stones
Green precious stones are usually associated with nature and prosperity. Thanks to their great beauty, they are highly valued in the world of jewelry.
- Emerald: emerald is a variety of the mineral beryl which is found in green tones. It is one of the best-known gemstones and one of the four precious stones to exist in the world. Emerald stands out for its unrivalled deep green color.
- Jade: jade is a very hard-wearing precious stone which is why it is so highly valued in jewelry making. It has a hardness of around 6.5-7 on the Mohs scale, making it scratch resistant. The tones of this gemstone vary from a very soft green to an impressively deep green.
Blue precious stones
The color blue is a very elegant choice when it comes to jewelry, it evokes calm, confidence and serenity. Do you know which blue precious stones are the most popular?
- Sapphire: this is a variety of the mineral corundum, which is found in a wide range of blue shades. This precious stone has an excellent hardness rating, almost as high as diamond, which is why it is so resistant to wear. The most valuable sapphires have a high clarity and intense shine that can even be improved with the right cut.
- Lapis lazuli: this gemstone is characterized by its deep blue color and it can sometimes include specks of golden pyrite which make it stand out from other precious and semi-precious stones of the same color. It has a relatively low hardness so you must be extremely careful in the everyday wear of your jewelry adorned with lapis lazuli.
Now you know some of the names and colors of precious stones, it will be easier for you to choose your piece of jewelry with gemstones and know its value.