Gemstones, also known as gems or precious stones, are naturally occurring minerals that are cut and polished for use in jewelry and ornamentation. For centuries, gemstones have fascinated people with their brilliant colors, rarity, durability, and cultural symbolism.
In this guide, we will explore the meaning of gemstones, the major types of gemstones, their uses in jewelry and industry, and the powerful benefits they are believed to offer.
Whether you are a jewelry lover, gemstone buyer, or brand owner sourcing stones from Jaipur, understanding the different types of gemstones helps you make more informed choices.
To explore gemstone varieties used in fine jewelry manufacturing, you can also visit our complete gemstone collection at EonGems Gemstones.
The Meaning of Gemstones
Gemstones are more than just decorative stones. Across civilizations, they have been admired as symbols of wealth, protection, spirituality, and emotional strength.
The meaning of gemstones often depends on their:
- Color and appearance
- Mineral composition
- Rarity and origin
- Cultural myths and beliefs
Historically, gemstones were worn by kings and warriors for power and protection. Today, gemstones continue to hold emotional value, especially in engagement rings, birthstone jewelry, and luxury designs.
If you want to learn how gemstones are professionally sourced and processed, read about our expertise as a trusted gemstone manufacturer in India.
Types of Gemstones
The types of gemstones found worldwide are broadly classified into two categories:
- Precious gemstones
- Semi precious gemstones
Although these terms are traditional, modern jewelers often use the term colored gemstones because many semi precious stones can be rarer and more valuable than some precious ones.
For example, certain garnets or alexandrites can cost more per carat than lower grade diamonds.
You can also read about gemstone classification in detail in our guide on precious vs semi precious gemstones.
1. Precious Gemstones
Precious gemstones are prized for their exceptional brilliance, hardness, rarity, and historical value.
These gemstones are typically the most expensive and widely used in high end jewelry.
Diamond
Diamonds are the hardest natural substance on Earth and symbolize eternity, love, and luxury.
Key features include:
- Hardness: 10 on Mohs scale
- Color: Colorless or faint tones
- Uses: Engagement rings, luxury jewelry
To understand authenticity, explore our comparison of natural diamonds vs lab grown diamonds.
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.
Frequently Asked Questions About Types of Gemstones
Diamonds, sapphires, and rubies are excellent for everyday wear because of their high hardness.
Not always. Stones like alexandrite and fine opals can be rarer and more expensive than some diamonds.
Painite and alexandrite are considered among the rarest gemstones globally.
Real gemstones often have natural inclusions, higher hardness, and certification from trusted labs.
No. Diamonds are widely used in industrial cutting tools, and gemstones are also used in spiritual practices.
Colored gemstones refer to all gemstones except diamonds, including rubies, emeralds, sapphires, and semi precious stones.
While not scientifically proven, many cultures believe gemstones support emotional balance and spiritual wellness.
Jaipur is a global hub for gemstone cutting, carving, and jewelry manufacturing with centuries of craftsmanship.
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.
At Eongems, we are equipped with everything that is required for a sustainable jewelry supply chain. You can count on us as your trusted jewelry manufacturing support for everything that is needed for your brand to flourish. We hope that you enjoy the article and if so please let us know what next topic you want us to write.
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.
