Alphabetical List of Gemstones

Source: jewelry.about.com – By Carly Wickell, About.com Guide

Photo by Don Farrall / Getty Images

Our gemstone advice will help you make informed decisions when you buy specific gems, and then care for the jewelry once it’s home. Learn which gems are nearly always made in a laboratory, and find out which stones have more than likely been treated in some way to enhance their appearance.

Explore Popular Gemstones

• Alexandrite A color-changing gem originally found in Russia, and named for a future Czar of that country. Are today’s gems natural versions of the stone?
• Amber Formed from the resin of prehistoric trees, amber has become a popular jewelry component, but chunks used in jewelry aren’t always the real thing.
• Amethyst A lilac to purple version of quartz, amethyst is among the most popular of gemstones.
• Aquamarine Aquamarine is related to emerald, but exists in shades of blue, and some stones are tinted with shades of green.
• Black Diamonds Unlike white diamonds, these dark stones are usually opaque, with no sparkle sparkle. Black diamonds have been seen more often in recent years, and are sometimes set into blackened platinum or other minerals with dark tones.
• Cameos Cameos are often carved from gemstones — carnelian is a traditional choice.
• Carnelian This gem is a red member of the large chalcedony family of minerals, which are all variations of quartz.
• Citrine This yellow version of quartz is sometimes mimicked by heat treating one of its cousins.
• Diamonds The hardest mineral on earth, diamonds are the number one choice for engagement rings.
• Emerald The May birthstone, high quality emeralds can be more expensive than diamonds; lower quality stones are often treated to enhance appearance, and some treatments are temporary.
• Garnet January’s birthstone is lush — and affordable. Another plus, garnets aren’t just deep red.
• Hematite Usually dark grey in color, alternative health practitioners often use hematite.
• Herkimer Diamond This stone isn’t really a diamond, but is unique.
• Jade Two minerals are called jade, and although green stones are most common, jade does exist in other colors.
• Lapis Lazuli A deep blue stone that’s flecked with other substances, but often manipulated to approve its appearance.
• Moissanite Natural moissanite arrives on earth via meteorites — very rare indeed. A version of the gem can be created in a lab.
• Moonstone Sometimes sold as opals, moonstones have the same opalescent glow.
• Opal A popular gem with many possible variations, opals are sometimes thinly sliced and misrepresented.
• Pearls Created by living creatures, pearl’s on today’s market are all grown after human intervention.
• Peridot Known as the evening emerald in ancient Rome, this lovely green gem has been popular for centuries.
• Quartz One of the most abundant substances on earth, many varieties of quartz are used to create jewelry.
• Rose Quartz A popular pink version of quartz that’s sometimes linked to love and romance.
• Ruby Only the red versions of the mineral corundum can be called ruby, a perpetually favorite gem.
• Sapphire Ruby’s cousin, sapphire is mostly seen in deep shades of blue, but other colors exist. Very often manipulated and created in a lab.
• Selenite A substance that’s popular with people who practice crystal healing.
• Tahitian Pearls Often called Tahitian ‘black,’ pearls, but not always black. These very large pearls are far more scarce than most of the pearls we see.
• Topaz We often envision yellow or gold gems when someone says the word topaz, but November’s birthstone exists in many colors.
• Tourmaline Another popular gem that exists in a wide array of colors, with some stones a single shade and others a mixture.
• Turquoise The December birthstone, turquoise exists in many colors. The gem is also treated in numerous ways to make it more stable and to improve appearance. Treatments and manipulations are common — get the facts before you buy.