Gemstones

A rainbow of beauty

They’re what make an elegant necklace more captivating, a gorgeous ring more alluring, or a stunning bracelet more awe-inspiring. Gemstones, in all of their glorious colors, have the power to transform even the plainest piece of jewelry into something hypnotic. And thanks to the concept of birthstones, gemstones are also incredibly personal. But how do we differentiate between the types of stones – and how do they magically appear in jewelry? Read on for an overview of gemstones and their origins.

Classifying gemstones

Stones such as emeralds and sapphires most often come to mind when people think of gemstones, but there are dozens of gem varieties – some of which are quite common, others that aren’t familiar to most. Gemstones are categorized as precious (or cardinal) and semi-precious, though how they’re sorted into those categories is very random. It’s loosely based on how valuable people have considered them throughout history, though even that standard doesn’t always explain the current system. For example, turquoise was the most prized stone in several cultures, but it’s classified as a semi-precious stone today.

Precious gemstones include the aforementioned sapphire and emerald, as well as ruby, diamond, opal, garnet, and amethyst. Other lesser-known precious gemstones include spinel (a red-hued stone), tourmaline (multiple colors), and tanzanite (purple or blue).

Semi-precious gems include popular varieties such as onyx, jade, and tiger’s eye, as well as more uncommon examples like kunzite (yellow to pink-purple), aventurine (green to pink-red), and morganite (pale pink).

When gems and minerals are created by living organisms, they’re labeled “organic.” Among the well-known specimens in this category: amber, pearl, red coral, and mother of pearl.

From the mines to your jewelry box

How and where gemstones are mined – especially diamonds – has been controversial for years due to the violence associated with the industry in some countries. To prevent conflict diamonds or “blood diamonds” from entering the market – at least legally – the Kimberly Process was adopted by the United Nations in 2002, and the Kimberly Process Certification Scheme was created to track diamonds and verify that they’re conflict-free from the mine to the cutters and polishers to the retailers.

Many people associate diamond mines with African countries, and while nations such as Botswana, South Africa, and Namibia are indeed diamond-rich locales, other places around the world are also hot spots. India, for example, has mined diamonds since around the 4th century B.C, and some of the most celebrated diamonds have come from the famous Golconda region – most notably the Hope Diamond. The globe’s largest raw diamond producer can be found in Western Australia. However, only about 5 percent of the Argyle mine’s yield is considered gem-quality; the remainder is used for industrial purposes. Other diamond mining locations include Brazil, Russia (about one-fifth of the world’s diamonds are mined there), and North America.

Gems besides diamonds are mined all over the world. Sri Lanka is a hub for many different varieties of stones, earning it the name “Island of Gems.” For thousands of years people have mined topaz, peridot, garnet, alexandrite, and many more in Sri Lanka. Afghanistan, too, is known for a wide array of gemstones, including emeralds, rubies, sapphires, turquoise, aquamarine, and others. Columbia’s “Emerald Belt” is a renowned source of the fiery green stones, and Jade is abundant in China.