Gemstones (Gems): Meaning, Types, Uses And Benefits

June 11, 2024

Gemstones, also known as gems, are precious or semi-precious stones used in jewelry and ornamentation. These stones have fascinated humans for centuries with their dazzling beauty, rarity, and the myths and legends surrounding them. In this article, we will delve into the meaning of gemstones, explore various types of gemstones, understand their uses, and highlight the benefits they offer.

The Meaning of Gemstones

Gemstones have been revered across cultures and civilizations for their unique properties and symbolic meanings. Each types of gemstones carries its own significance, often tied to its color, composition, and the lore associated with it. Historically, gemstones were believed to possess mystical powers, offering protection, healing, and good fortune to their wearers. Today, they are cherished not only for their aesthetic appeal but also for the emotional and spiritual connections people feel with them.

Types of Gemstones

Are you looking for different types of gemstones? Here you’ll find the list of all types of gemstones that can be found worldwide. Since the beginning of civilization, people have been fascinated by shiny, colorful stones and crystals. These gemstones have always been symbols of peace, prosperity, and happiness. A few centuries ago, the terms ‘Precious’ and ‘Semi-Precious’ gemstones became common. Even though there are many exceptions, these terms are still used today.

For example, while diamonds are usually seen as precious stones, some can sell for as low as $100 a carat. On the other hand, garnets, which are considered semi-precious, can sell for over $1,000 a carat.

Because of these differences, jewellers now often call gemstones other than diamonds ‘Colored Stones.’ Traditionally, gemstones are divided into two groups:

Precious Stones
Semi-Precious Stones

1. Precious Gemstones

These types of gemstones are prized for their exceptional hardness, brilliance, rarity, and historical significance. They typically command high prices due to these factors.

Diamond

Color: Colorless or faint hues
Hardness: 10 (Mohs scale)
Symbolism: Luxury, eternity, love
Source: Mined in various locations worldwide, including Russia, Botswana, South Africa, Canada, and Australia.

Emerald

Color: Vibrant green
Hardness: 7.5-8 (Mohs scale)
Symbolism: Rebirth, love, growth
Source: Colombia is the world’s leading producer, with mines in Zambia, Ethiopia, Russia, Brazil, and the USA.

Ruby

Color: Fiery red
Hardness: 9 (Mohs scale)
Symbolism: Passion, power, protection
Source: Myanmar (Burma) is historically known for the finest rubies. Other sources include Thailand, Sri Lanka, Madagascar, and Mozambique.

Sapphire

Color: Blue (various shades), also found in other colors except red (which is ruby)
Hardness: 9 (Mohs scale)
Symbolism: Wisdom, truth, faith
Source: Sri Lanka is a major source for high-quality blue sapphires. Other sources include Kashmir, Thailand, Madagascar, Australia, and the USA.

Also, Read: Select A Perfect Jewellery Manufacturer

2. Semi-Precious Gemstones

These types of gemstones offer a wider range of colors, varieties, and affordability compared to precious stones. They are still beautiful and desirable but may not be as hard or rare.

Alexandrite: The Color-Changing Chameleon

Color: Alexandrite exhibits a remarkable color-changing property. In daylight, it appears green or bluish-green. However, under incandescent light, it transforms into a reddish-purple hue. This unique characteristic makes it a highly sought-after gemstone.
Hardness: Alexandrite has a Mohs hardness of 8.5, making it quite durable for jewelry use.
Rarity: Alexandrite is a relatively rare gemstone, even more so than fine rubies, emeralds, or sapphires. This rarity contributes to its high value.
Source: The primary sources of Alexandrite include Russia, Sri Lanka, Brazil, Madagascar, and the USA.

Amethyst: The Gemstone of Tranquility

Color: Amethyst is best known for its beautiful range of purple hues, from light lavender to deep reddish purple. Its color is attributed to trace amounts of manganese, iron, and titanium.
Hardness: Amethyst has a Mohs hardness of 7, making it relatively durable and suitable for everyday wear in jewelry.
Symbolism: Amethyst has been associated with peace, tranquility, and spirituality for centuries. It is also the birthstone for February.
Source: Amethyst is found in various locations worldwide, including Brazil, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Uruguay, and North America.

Citrine: The Sunny Gemstone of Success

Color: Citrine boasts a vibrant yellow hue, ranging from lemon yellow to amber-brown. It’s often mistaken for topaz, but citrine has a more fiery and radiant quality.
Hardness: Citrine has a Mohs hardness of 7, making it a durable and affordable gemstone choice for jewelry.
Symbolism: Citrine is associated with positive energy, success, and abundance. It’s believed to attract wealth and prosperity.
Source: The primary sources of citrine include Brazil, Madagascar, Argentina, Russia, and Scotland.

Also, Read: Birthstones by Month

Garnet: The Family of Gemstone Treasures

Color: Garnet is not just one stone, but a group of gemstones with a wide variety of colors. These include red, green, orange, yellow, brown, and black (with the exception of blue).
Hardness: Garnets vary in hardness depending on the specific type, ranging from 6.5 to 7.5 on the Mohs scale. This makes them generally durable for jewelry use.
Symbolism: Garnets have been attributed with various symbolic meanings throughout history, including love, passion, and protection. The specific meaning can vary depending on the garnet’s color.
Source: Garnets are found in many locations worldwide, including Burma, Sri Lanka, South Africa, India, and the USA.

Iolite: The Viking’s Compass Gem

Color: Iolite comes in a range of violet-blue, deep blue, light blue-gray, and yellow-white hues.
Hardness: Iolite has a Mohs hardness of 7 – 7.5, making it reasonably durable but requiring care to avoid scratches or chips.
History: Interestingly, Vikings used thin slices of Iolite as polarizing filters. Looking through these filters, they could determine the sun’s position and navigate their journeys.
Source: The major sources of Iolite include India, Sri Lanka, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and Brazil.

Onyx: The Classic Black Beauty

Color: Onyx is primarily known for its black color, although it can also appear in white, with black and white bands. Reddish-brown varieties are called Sardonyx.
Hardness: Onyx has a Mohs hardness of 6.5 – 7, making it suitable for everyday wear in jewelry.
Composition: Onyx is a variety of chalcedony, a form of quartz. It’s often dyed black to enhance its color.
History: Onyx has been a popular gemstone since ancient times, used by Greeks and Romans for jewelry and decorative objects.

Opal: The Playful Rainbow Gemstone

Color: Opal’s most fascinating feature is opalescence, a play of light that creates a rainbow of iridescent colors within the stone. Opals can also come in a variety of body colors, including black, white, gray, yellow, red, and orange.
Hardness: Opals are relatively soft gemstones, with a Mohs hardness of 5-6.5. They require special care to avoid scratches, cracks, or exposure to harsh chemicals or extreme temperatures.
Symbolism: Opals are associated with creativity, passion, and hope. However, in some cultures, they have been linked with bad luck.
Source: Australia is the major supplier of high-quality opals, contributing around 95% of the world’s supply. Other sources include Brazil, Mexico, and the USA.

Aquamarine: The Gemstone of the Tranquil Sea

Color: Aquamarine showcases a captivating range of blue hues, reminiscent of clear ocean water or the summer sky. Colors can range from light blue to deep blue.
Hardness: Aquamarine has a Mohs hardness of 7.5-8, making it a relatively hard and durable gemstone. It’s a popular choice for jewelry due to its beauty and resilience.
Symbolism: Aquamarine is associated with tranquility, purity, and happiness. It is also the birthstone for March.
Source: Aquamarine is found in various locations worldwide, including Brazil, Madagascar, Russia, Afghanistan, and the USA.

Topaz: The Fiery Gemstone of November

Color: Topaz comes in a variety of colors, including colorless, yellow, orange, pink, red, and blue. However, the most sought-after topaz is a fiery yellow or orange, often mistaken for citrine.
Hardness: Topaz has a Mohs hardness of 8, making it a very hard and durable gemstone. It can withstand scratches and everyday wear well.
Symbolism: Topaz is associated with love, strength, and fidelity. It is the birthstone for November.
Source: Brazil is the leading producer of topaz, followed by Sri Lanka, Burma, Nigeria, and the USA.

Tourmaline: The Rainbow Gemstone

Color: Tourmaline is a true chameleon of the gemstone world, boasting the widest color range of any gemstone. It can be found in black, red, pink, blue, green, yellow, orange, and even multi-colored varieties. This incredible range is due to the presence of various elements within its crystal structure.
Hardness: Tourmaline has a Mohs hardness of 7-7.5, making it a durable gemstone suitable for everyday wear in jewelry.
Symbolism: Tourmaline’s symbolism varies depending on its color. Red tourmaline is associated with passion and vitality, green with prosperity and growth, pink with love and compassion, and black with protection and grounding.
Pleochroism: An interesting feature of some tourmalines is pleochroism. This means the stone can display different colors depending on the viewing angle.
Source: Tourmaline is found in various locations worldwide, including Brazil, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Namibia, Mozambique, and the USA.

Pearl: The Organic Gemstone from the Sea

Color: Pearls come in a variety of natural colors, including white, cream, yellow, pink, orange, lavender, black, and even metallic hues. The most valuable pearls are typically white or rose with high luster.
Hardness: Pearls are relatively soft gemstones, with a Mohs hardness of 2.5-4.5. They require special care to avoid scratches, nicks, or exposure to harsh chemicals or sudden temperature changes.
Formation: Unlike most gemstones, pearls are formed organically inside mollusks, such as oysters and mussels. A layer-by-layer deposition of nacre, a combination of calcium carbonate and a protein called conchiolin, creates the pearl’s lustrous surface.
Symbolism: Pearls have been associated with purity, innocence, and wisdom for centuries. They are also believed to bring good luck and prosperity.
Source: Cultured pearls, grown in pearl farms, are the most common source today. However, natural pearls, formed by chance occurrences within mollusks, are extremely rare and valuable. Major pearl producers include Japan, China, French Polynesia, Australia, and the Persian Gulf region.

Peridot: The Gemstone of Birthstones

Color: Peridot’s primary color is yellow-green, olive, or brownish-green. The intensity of the color depends on the iron content.
Hardness: Peridot has a Mohs hardness of 6.5 – 7, making it moderately durable but requiring care to avoid scratches or breakage.
Formation: Unlike many gemstones, Peridot’s color isn’t caused by impurities. It’s an intrinsic part of its structure, formed under extreme heat and pressure deep within the Earth.
Source: Peridot is found in various locations worldwide, including Australia, Mexico, Sri Lanka, South Africa, and the USA. It’s also found in meteorites!

Tanzanite: The Rare Beauty from Tanzania

Color: Tanzanite exhibits a captivating blue or violet-blue color. This beautiful hue is often achieved through heat treatment.
Hardness: Tanzanite has a Mohs hardness of 6 – 7, making it somewhat delicate. It requires careful handling to avoid chipping or breakage.
Rarity: Tanzanite is a very rare gemstone, found almost exclusively in the Merelani Hills of Tanzania. This limited source contributes to its high value.
Trichoism: Tanzanite is a trichroic gem, meaning it displays three different colors depending on the viewing angle. This adds to its unique beauty and complexity.

Uses of Gemstones

Gemstones have a wide range of uses beyond their aesthetic appeal. They are used in various forms of jewelry, from rings and necklaces to bracelets and earrings, making them a staple in the fashion industry. Additionally, gemstones are employed in industrial applications due to their hardness and durability. For example, diamonds are used in cutting tools and drilling equipment.

In the realm of spirituality and alternative medicine, gemstones are often used in healing practices. Crystal healing, a form of alternative therapy, involves using gemstones to balance the body’s energy fields and promote physical, emotional, and spiritual healing. Each gemstone is believed to possess specific healing properties, making them a popular choice for those seeking holistic wellness.

Benefits of Gemstones

The benefits of gemstones extend beyond their physical beauty. Here are some of the key advantages:

1. Emotional Healing: Gemstones are believed to have calming effects, reducing stress, anxiety, and emotional turmoil. For example, amethyst is known for its soothing properties, promoting tranquility and peace of mind.

2. Physical Healing: Certain gemstones are thought to possess physical healing properties. For instance, turquoise is believed to have anti-inflammatory effects and enhance the immune system.

3. Spiritual Growth: Gemstones are often used in meditation and spiritual practices to enhance spiritual awareness and growth. Sapphires, for example, are associated with wisdom and spiritual enlightenment.

4. Enhanced Focus and Clarity: Gemstones like diamonds are believed to improve mental clarity and focus, helping individuals make clear and informed decisions.

5. Protection: Many gemstones are thought to offer protective properties, shielding the wearer from negative energies and harm. Rubies, for instance, are known for their protective qualities.

6. Attracting Good Fortune: Gemstones are often associated with luck and prosperity. Topaz, for example, is believed to attract wealth and good fortune.

Conclusion

By understanding the meaning, uses, benefits and types of gemstones, we can appreciate their significance and incorporate their beauty and positive energies into our lives. Whether you are a jewelry enthusiast, a collector, or someone seeking holistic healing, gemstones offer a world of wonder and possibilities.

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For beautiful gemstones and expert craftsmanship, get in touch with Eongems, a perfect gemstone manufacturing company in Jaipur. Call us at +91-8769104410 or email gaurav@eongems.com to explore our stunning collection.