Gemstones

gemstone

How Many Gemstones Are There?

A gemstone is a piece of mineral crystal that can be polished or cut. Often people believe that gemstones are the popular birthstones, however, there are actually over 300 gemstones! Continue reading to see some facts about 25 of the most popular gemstones, their meanings and a complete alphabetical list of all the gemstones.

25 Most Popular Gemstones

1. Garnet

Garnet is available in many different colors and is usually associated with the color red. This January birthstone is available in red, green, orange, pink, and purple hues. Some refer to this gem as a “rainbow gemstone.”

2. Agate

Agate is a form of quartz, and it has extremely unique patterns of colors. It is used as a semiprecious stone because of its quality and color. Agate is a translucent variety of quartz that forms by the deposition of silica from groundwater in the sunken areas of igneous rocks.

3. Amethyst

“The February birthstone is crystalline quartz and ranges from pale lilac to deep reddish purple in color. Often paired with gold or silver, this gemstone is durable with a high hardness of 7 on the Mohs scale.

4. Aquamarine

The name alone speaks to the color of the gemstone. This sea blue gem is a member of the beryl family and rates 7.5 on the Mohs scale, meaning that it is a durable gemstone for jewelry.

5. Diamond

The most heavily marketed gemstone is that of the diamond. The diamond is the hardest of all the gemstones rating a 10 on the Mohs scale. There are many different things to consider in what makes a diamond valuable including the four C’s (cut, clarity, color, and carat.

6. Emerald

Being one of the rarest found gemstones, the emerald is a member of the beryl family. It is one of the “Big Four” gems along with diamonds, rubies, and sapphires. The elegant green of the emerald is extremely desirable.

7. Alexandrite

With its color-changing qualities, the alexandrite is extremely desirable but also extremely rare. In the daytime, this gem has a blue-green color, while at night, it becomes red when exposed to incandescent light. It is considered a durable gemstone rating an 8.5 on the Mohs scale.

8. Beryl

The beryl family of gemstones includes some of the most popular gemstones including emerald and aquamarine. The color most rare in the beryl family is that of the red beryl. Because the beryl family possesses such variety, they can range from colorless all the way to black.

9. Citrine

The citrine gemstone is yellow to red-orange in color and is a member of the crystalline quartz family. Measuring a 7 on the Mohs scale, this gemstone has a good toughness. This sunny gemstone is also the recognized birthstone of November.

10. Lapis Lazuli

Just as it was popular in ancient times, Lapis Lazuli remains just as popular today. It is a blue rock containing lazurite and it is considered a semiprecious stone. The deep blue pigmentation is just as beautiful in jewelry as it is in cosmetics and paintings.

11. Malachite

Malachite is a green and black swirled decorative stone. Its patterned design is extremely unique among gemstones. It has a low hardness of only 3.5-4 on the Mohs scale. This allows it to be easily worked but it is still able to keep a polish.

12. Moonstone

The moonstone can be found all over the world. It is beloved for its blue to white color. Its name describes its color because it gives off a stunning moonlight sheen. It has a lower toughness rating of 6 - 6.5 on the Mohs scale.

13. Morganite

The morganite gemstone has a variety of different color pinks. This gemstone measures 7.5 – 8 on the Mohs scale and its durability has allowed for its increase in popularity. This gem is also now considered a good alternative to the diamond for bridal jewelry.

14. Onyx

This gemstone actually comes in a variety of different colors but the most common is the black onyx. Relatively durable, the black onyx measures 6.5 – 7 on the Mohs scale. It has become increasingly popular in both female and male jewelry.

15. Opal

Each opal is as unique as the colors it features. Often referred to as the “kaleidoscope stone,” the opal is a flashy stone. Opals are extremely delicate gemstones measuring 5.5 – 6.5 on the Mohs scale. Though they require special care, these stones make stunning jewelry additions.

16. Pearls

The pearl is an organic, semi-precious gemstone that is produced inside the living mollusk. They are the only gemstones in the world that come from a living organism. Pearls can come in a variety of different sizes and shapes. These gems can be classified as either cultured pearls or natural pearls.

17. Peridot

The peridot gemstone always comes in a shade of green, but it can vary on the hue. It is a semi-precious gem from the Olivine mineral family. Fairly dense, the peridot ranges from 6.5 – 7 on the Mohs scale.

18. Rubellite

The deep pink to red colors make this gemstone different from its fellow tourmalines. Apart from ruby and red spinel, rubellite is the only other gemstone to possess the rich red color. Relatively hard, this gemstone rates 7 – 7.5 on the Mohs scale.

19. Ruby

Known as being the most desirable gemstone, the ruby is extremely strong. Measuring a 9 on the Mohs scale, this gemstone is perfect for daily wear. The ruby is always red, but the hues of red can reach very vivid levels of saturation. The most desirable rubies have the deepest tone of red.

20. Sapphire

The sapphire is a precious gemstone with its most popular shade being blue. Being one of the four most valuable and sought-after gemstones in the world, often called the “Big Four,” the sapphire is extremely durable. It measures a 9 on the Mohs scale which makes it perfect for consistent wear.

21. Tanzanite

The tanzanite gemstone is rare because it is only found in one place on earth. The gem ranges from blue to violet. The most vivid blue is considered the most valuable, but the majority of stones have a light to medium blue hue.

22. Topaz

The topaz gemstone comes in a large variety of colors making it an extremely popular gemstone. Frequently associated with a sunny yellow or bright blue, this gem is hard and durable. It measures an 8 on the Mohs scale. The rarest topaz gemstones are the natural pink, red, and orange colors.

23. Tourmaline

Tourmaline is the most colorful of all the gemstones. Though it can be all colors, it is most seen as pink, red, green, blue, and even multicolored. With a fair toughness of 7 – 7.5 on the Mohs scale, the tourmaline gemstones are very popular with jewelry designers.

24. Turquoise

As one of the oldest known gem materials, turquoise can be seen across history. The opaque, blue-green stone measures 5 – 6 on the Mohs scale. It can only be found in dry and barren places on earth.

25. Zircon

Zircon contains radioactive elements that must be heated to stabilize them to be able to use them as gems. It also comes closer to resembling a diamond than any other gemstone. However, it is not cubic zirconia. Zircon is a magnificent gem that is available in many colors.

A-Z List of Gemstones

Actinolite
Adamite
Agate
Albite
Alexandrite
Algodonite
Almandine Garnet
Amazonite
Amber
Amblygonite
Amethyst
Ametrine
Ammolite
Analcime
Anatase
Andalusite
Andesine
Andradite
Anglesite
Anhydrite (Angelite)
Anorthite
Apatite
Apophyllite
Aquamarine
Argaonite
Augelite
Axinite
Azurite
Barite
Bayldonite
Benitoite
Beryl
Beryllonite
Bismutotantalite
Bloodstone
Boleite
Boracite
Bornite
Brazilianite
Breithauptite
Brookite
Brucite
Bustamite
Bytownite
Calcareous Concretions
Calcite
Canasite
Cancrinite
Carnelian
Cassiterite
Catapleiite
Celestite
Ceruleite
Cerussite
Chabazite
Chalcedony
Cambersite
Charoite
Chicken-Blood Stone
Childrenite
Chiolite
Chromite
Chrysoberyl
Cinnabar
Citrine
Clinochlore
Cobaltite
Colemanite
Color Change Garnet
Color Change Sapphire
Coral
Cordierite
Corundum
Covellite
Creedite
Crocoite
Cryolite
Cuprite
Danburite
Datolite
Demantoid Garnet
Diamond Diaspore
Dickinsonite
Diopside
Dioptase
Dolomite
Dumortierite
Ekanite
Emerald
Enstatite
Eosphorite
Epidote
Ettringite
Euclase
Eudialyte
Euxenite
Feldspar
Fergusonite
Fluorite
Freshwater Pearl
Friedelite
Gadolinite
Gahnospinel
Garnet
Gaylussite
Glass
Grandidierite
Grossular Garnet
Gypsum
Hambergite
Haüyne
Heliodor
Hermatite
Hemimorphite
Herderite
Hessonite
Hodgkinsonite
Holtite
Howlite
Huebnerite (Hübnerite)
Humite
Hureaulite
Hurlbutite
Hydrogrossular Garnet
Hyperitdiabas
Idocrase (Vesuvianite)
Inderite
Iolite
Jadeite
Jasper
Jeremejevite
Jet
Kornerupine
Kurnakovite
Kyanite
Kämmererite
Labradorite
Langbeinite
Lapis Lazuli
Laserblue
Lawsonite
Lazulite
Legrandite
Lepidolite
Leucite
Linarite
Ludlamite
Magnesite
Malachite
Malaia Garnet (Malaya Garnet)
Mali Garnet
Mandarin Garnet
Manganotantalite
Marcasite
Meliphanite
Mellite
Microcline
Microlite
Milarite
Millerite
Mimetite
Moldavite
Monzaite
Moonstone
Mordenite
Morganite
Nambulite
Natrolite, Mesolite, Scolecite
Natural Glass
Nepheline
Nephrite
Neptunite
Niccolite (Nickeline)
Obsidian
Oligoclase
Onyx
Opal Stone
Oregon Sunstone
Orthoclase
Padparadscha Sapphire
Painite
Palygorskite
Papagoite
Paraíba Tourmaline
Paragasite
Parisite
Pearl
Pectoilite (Larimar)
Pentalandite
Periclase
Peridot
Peristerite
Perthite
Petalite
Phenakite
Phosgenite
Phosphophyllite
Pollucite
Powerllite
Prehnite
Prosopite
Proteus
Proustite
Pumpellyite
Purpurite
Pyrargyrite
Pyrite
Pyrope Garnet
Pyrophyllite
Pyroxmangite
Pyrrhotite
Quartz
Quartzite
Realgar
Red Beryl
Rhodizite
Rhodochrosite
Rhodolite Garnet
Rhodonite
Rose Quartz
Rubellite
Ruby
Rutile
Saltwater Pearl
Smarskite
Sanidine
Sapphire
Sapphirine
Sarcolite
Scapolite
Scheelite
Scorodite
Sellaite
Senarmontite
Serandite
Serpentine
Shattuckite
Shortite
Siderite
Sillimanite
Simpsonite
Sinhalite
Smaltite
Smithsonite
Smoky Quartz
Sodalite
Sogdianite
Spressartite
Garnet
Sphalerite
Sphene (Titanite)
Spinel
Spodumene
Spurrite
Star Sapphire
Staurolite
Stibiotantalite
Stichtite
Stolzite
Strontianite
Sugilite
Sulfur (Sulphur)
Sunstone
Taaffeite
Talc
Tantalite
Tanzanite (Zoisite)
Tekite
Tephroite
Thaumasite
Thomsonite
Tiger’s Eye
Topaz
Tourmaline
Tremolite
Triphylite (Tryphylite)
Tsavorite Garnet
Tugtupite
Turquoise
Ulexite
Uvarovite Garnet
Vanadinite
Variscite
Villiaumote
Vivianite
Väyrynenite
Wardite
Wavellite
Weloganite
Whewellite
Wilkeite
Willemite
Witherite
Wollastonite
Wulfenite
Xonotlite
Yugawaralite
Zektzerite
Zincite
Zircon
Zunyite

At Windsor Fine Jewelers, we offer a large selection of fine gemstone jewelry including gemstone rings, gemstone necklaces, gemstone earrings and more featuring all of your favorite gemstones like ruby, blue topaz, diamond, turquoise and many more. Browse out entire selection of gemstones online today.