Types of Gemstones from A to Z
Types of Gemstones A to Z
This types of gemstones directory is based on information from Gemological institute of America. GIA is considered the world authority on gemstone and diamond research, grading and education.
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| Gemstone | Characteristics | Mohs Hardness |
|---|---|---|
| Alexandrite | Bluish green in daylight, purplish red under incandescent light; hard and durable | 8.5 |
| Amber | Yellow, orange or golden brown; a fossilized resin, inclusions sometimes preserve ancient life | 2.5 |
| Amethyst | Purple to pastel gems from African and South American mines. Browse amethyst jewelry > | 7 |
| Ammolite | Each gemstone displays captivating, iridescent rainbow colors. Browse ammolite jewelry > | 3.5-8 |
| Aquamarine | Clear blue to greenish-blue variety of the mineral beryl. Browse aquamarine jewelry > | 8 |
| Citrine | Popular yellow variety of quartz that ranges from yellow to brown-orange color. Browse citrine jewelry > | 7 |
| Diamond | Valued for their colorless purity, but found in all rainbow colors; most diamonds are over a billion years old | 10 |
| Emerald | Blue green to deep green variety of beryl, sourced from Africa, South America and Asia. Browse emerald jewelry > | 8 |
| Garnet | Found in all the colors of the rainbow, known for red, orange and green; colors vary in their rarity. Browse garnet jewelry > | 7.5 |
| Iolite | Blue to violet hue, that can also display a pale yellow or colorless hue when viewed from certain directions | 7.5 |
| Jade | Green jade dates to the pre-historic era and is actually two separate gems: nephrite and jadeite | 43989 |
| Lapis Lazuli | Royal blue with golden streaks of pyrite; this rock is made of several minerals: lazurite, calcite and pyrite | 5.5 |
| Moonstone | A colorless, semi-transparent appearance with a light blue or silver sheen known as adularescence | 6.5 |
| Opal | Opal’s light diffraction results in a play of many colors; the color range and pattern help determine its value. Browse opal jewelry > | 6.5 |
| Pearl | Pearls take years to form and are produced in the bodies of marine and freshwater mollusks | 3 |
| Peridot | Yellow-green gemstone found in volcanic and mountain rock and meterorites. Browse peridot jewelry > | 7 |
| Ruby | Deep red color; known as the “king of precious stones.” Browse ruby jewelry > | 9 |
| Sapphire | Found in a variety of colors including yellow, green, orange, pink and purple; prized for their deep blue saturated hue. Browse sapphire jewelry > | 9 |
| Spinel | Spinel, often sourced in red and blue, is sometimes confused with ruby. Browse spinel jewelry > | 8 |
| Tanzanite | Blue-to-violet or purple hues; recently discovered in Tanzania in 1967. Browse tanzanite jewelry > | 7 |
| Topaz | Wide color range of brown, blue, green, yellow, orange, red, pink and purple. Browse topaz jewelry > | 8 |
| Tourmaline | One of the widest color ranges of any gem; prized for intense violet blue gems of Paraíba, Brazil. Browse tourmaline jewelry > | 7.5 |
| Turquoise | Opaque blue to green; among the world’s oldest found jewelry of ancient civilizations of Egypt, Mesoamerica and China | 6 |
| Zircon | Blue, yellow, green, red, brown and colorless hues; known for bright and lustrous light reflection; not to be confused with cubic zirconia | 7.5 |
Related:
- Gemstone Jewelry Buying Guide
- Gemstone Enhancement and Treatment Guide
- Pearl Jewelry Buying Guide
- Guide to Diamond Alternatives
- How to Clean Jewelry
Sources:
Jewelers of America
GIA
Last Updated on December 29, 2020 by JewelryNStyle
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