The Top 11 Coloured Gemstone Jewellery Pieces for All Budgets
Colored gemstones have been the object of fascination and amazement of countless people from all over the world. While diamonds are undoubtedly incredibly popular, the sheer variety and brilliance that colored gemstones bring to the table is simply irresistible. But it is often a misconception that colored gemstones are overly expensive and nearly impossible to afford by the common person.
This write-up will present 11 colored custom cut gemstones that are used to create amazing jewelry that fit within your budget and needs. So without any more ado, let's begin!
1. Tanzanite Jewelry
Tanzanite is the best substitute for people looking for a blue coloured gemstone as an engagement ring, pendant, or necklace. Indeed, tanzanite may not share the history and legacy of a blue sapphire, but it's among the rarest of gemstones. As such, it is special in its own way. Tanzanite is among the rarest of gemstones that can be sourced from only a single part of the world: Tanzania. This beautiful gemstone is particularly noted for its absolutely gorgeous bluish-purple hues that display different shades of blue when viewed from different angles (a property known as pleochroism). This makes tanzanite an extremely beautiful gemstone.
Tanzanite has truly established itself as one of the most coveted and popular gemstones of this generation. This delicate and beautiful gemstone found naturally in just a very small part of Tanzania has captured the fantasy and imagination of countless people from all around the world. The remarkable blue hues and the extreme rarity of tanzanite have earned this gem a pivotal place in any jewelry store.
Tanzanite rates between 6 to 6.5 on the Mohs hardness scale, making it a relatively softer gemstone. As such, it is not convenient to use tanzanite for everyday use if your work involves extensive use of your hands, then this gemstone may not be suitable as rings. However, with good care and maintenance, ur shouldn't be a problem. At the end of the day, the exceptional rarity of tanzanite makes it a highly coveted gemstone by people from all across the world. It is worth noting that tanzanite is the birthstone for those born in the month of December.
2. Blue sapphire Jewelry
Blue sapphire is widely regarded as the most recognised of all blue gemstones. With a rich history and legacy, it is associated with royalty and class like no other. Ranking a whopping 9 on the Mohs hardness scale, blue sapphire is second only to diamond when it comes to toughness and durability. As such, blue sapphire jewellery can be worn for everyday use without any hassles!
This precious gemstone is known widely for its deep and pure blue colour, which can be attributed to the presence of the mineral corundum. It also has trace amounts of iron, magnesium, chromium, titanium, or vanadium present in its chemical composition. Sapphire is also noted to have inclusions within its crystalline structure. However, such inclusions or flaws are a natural part of blue sapphires and are considered a sign of uniqueness and beauty.
3. Ruby Jewelry
In a similar association with sapphire and emerald, ruby is traditionally a red coloured variant of the mineral aluminum oxide that is noted to be part of the corundum family. In the composition of ruby, the element chromium is the reason behind the deep, fiery red hue of the July birthstone. On a deeper mineralogical level, the higher concentrations of the element chromium lends the red colouration that this gemstone is infamous for.
In order to safeguard its exceptional quality, the various shades of this gemstone must be neither too dark nor too bright. As the shade of the ruby varies, the quality and value of the ruby takes a nosedive.
Because of its great worth, the ruby is generally viewed as a sign of riches and prestige in today's society. Wearing a ruby will undoubtedly convey a special message, as the ruby represents many powerful emotions and appealing features. Naturally, rubies have turned into one of the premier gemstones for jewellery, trophies, souvenirs etc.
4. Emerald Jewelry
Emeralds are particularly noted to be an excellent choice for almost any form of jewellery. While diamonds are known especially for their crystal-clear clarity, emeralds provide a breathtakingly beautiful richness in colour and a supreme appeal courtesy of its various inclusions, giving the gem a lot of uniqueness and grace. Accordingly, emeralds have gained widespread prominence due to their immense depth in richness of colours and the wondrous, lush, and luxurious green colour per se. This gem, also known as the Spring Gem, represents rebirth, joy, abundance, and various beneficial qualities.
5. Citrine Jewelry
Citrine is a well-established part of the quartz family and is one of the most widely purchased yellow gemstones. The name of this gemstone draws inspiration from the citron fruit, which bears a striking resemblance to a citrus fruit like orange.
It is known that pure quartz bears no colour. However, citrine gets its beautiful orange-yellow shades due to the presence of iron. As such, citrine comes in a wide array of hues that can be pale yellow or deep golden-orange, to even having hints of red. It is worth noting that most citrine gemstones in today's market are essentially different variants of quartz, such as amethyst and smoky quartz. These variants are subjected to heat treatment in order to achieve the coveted golden-yellow colour.
6. Aquamarine Jewelry
Aquamarine, as the name obviously suggests, is a brilliant sea-blue gemstone that has its name derived from the Latin word aqua marinus, which translates to "water of the sea". The aquamarine is a part of the beryl mineral class and is noted for its beautiful blue hue formed as a result of iron present within the composition of the gemstone. However, its distinct colouration ranges from lighter shades of blue to greenish-blue hues. It is worth noting that aquamarine with darker hues is generally considered more valuable than its lighter counterparts.
There are often comparisons drawn between aquamarines and emeralds as they both belong to the beryl class of minerals. While aquamarines are more easily available in nature, they are almost free from any form of inclusions (something that is common in emeralds). Furthermore, aquamarine is appreciably hard, making it feasible to be worn on a regular basis. Aquamarine is the birthstone for people born in the month of March. Aquamarines are closely associated with a blissful married life and promote more love and togetherness between couples.
7. Amethyst Jewelry
Amethyst has earned itself much repute on a global scale for its absolutely incredible hue. This is so much hype that amethyst is widely regarded as the most popular and important form of quartz. Amethyst is classified as a semi-precious stone that is formed within hollow geodes.
The stunning hues of amethyst can be attributed to the presence of iron and aluminum, giving it a beautiful range of colours from pinkish-violet to a deep, solid purple. The intensely purple variants usually command a high price in the market.
Amethyst is the birthstone for people born in the month of February. Throughout the course of history, amethyst has surely established itself as one of the most remarkable stones one can get for themselves. One simply cannot get enough of those royal purple hues.
8. Peridot Jewelry
Peridot is one of the most pleasing gemstones, earning much fanfare due to its exotic olive green hues. It is also widely renowned as one of the premier gemstones for purifying all toxins. It is associated with many notable healing properties that include cutting out stress, calming down anger, and feeling more content and joyous with life. It is the birthstone for the month of August.
Peridot has for time immemorial been designated as a lesser stone due to the fact that it is relatively easy to obtain and not high on pricing. That said, the attitude towards peridot has changed over time. For many years, this gorgeous crystal had been shaky in terms of popularity until it was nearly lost or oblivion. But there's good news! The beautiful olive green stone is the hype these days and is admired for its healing properties and beauty.
Peridot is associated with warmth, overall goodness, and well-being. One of the biggest USPs of these enticing gemstones is the fact that the crystal gives off a glossy vibe that is simply irresistible.
9. Garnet Jewelry
Garnet is a pretty interesting name. It originates from terms that translate to "dark red" and "seed-like". And it couldn't have been more appropriate! After all, garnets literally look like the seeds of a pomegranate. Indeed, red is the usual colour of garnets, but they also come in various colours that include yellow, orange, peach, green, purple, blue (extremely rare), brown and pink.
Garnet, as a gemstone, is pretty different in comparison to other minerals that are essentially unique variants complemented with colours due to the presence of trace elements. Garnets, however, can be found in a wide array of mineral species and blends. In fact, they are also known to display iridescent properties. In other words, garnets can display various colours under different conditions. It is the birthstone for people born in the month of January.
Additionally, it is worth noting that garnet is a reasonably tough gemstone. With a Mohs hardness scale ranging between 6.5 to 7, these beauties are durable to last for years and years.
10. Prasiolite Jewelry
It is common practice to mistake a certain stone for green amethyst. In reality, this is essentially a type of quartz crystal known as prasiolite. Prasiolite is a very lovely variety of green-coloured quartz crystals and is the birthstone for people born in the month of August. Its shade of green is noted to be relaxing, rejuvenating, and a sheer pleasure to gaze at for as long as you want!
It is interesting to note that prasiolite originally begins as purple quartz and is then subjected to heat treatment processes to transform it into a stunning leafy or yellowish-green that we know and love. This colour transformation can also be achieved by irradiation. In the process of heat treatment, the purple amethyst is heated to roughly 500°C in order to lead to a green to yellowish-green hue. On the other hand, irradiation involves irradiating natural amethyst. This results in a lighter shade of green resulting in a pale green variety of prasiolite.
In addition, prasiolite also attracts positivity and goodness into the wearer's life, bringing both personal and financial independence. Moreover, it is also believed to inculcate a clear mindset and open up new opportunities.
11. Tourmaline Jewelry
Tourmaline is a gorgeous semi-precious gemstone that is infamous for its wide spectrum of colours. While the chemical composition reflects uniformity in the crystalline structure through a set of similar minerals, there are several other complex elements, such as calcium, manganese and iron, all of which combine to give tourmaline its colour.
When it comes to hardness, tourmaline ranks a decent 7 to 7.5 on the Mohs hardness scale. As it is definitely tough and durable enough to be used for regular wear. Therefore, tourmaline finds applications in various kinds of jewellery. Furthermore, the tourmaline is the birthstone for people born in the month of October.
Tourmaline does not require heat treatment as commonly as other gems. In fact, most tourmaline pieces in the market are completely untreated. However, these gemstones (particularly the red and pink variants) are subjected to heat treatment or irradiation to enhance their hues and clarity. All in all, the tourmaline is a splendid gemstone to own.
