Gemstones Identified by Color
Let’s face it, there are a lot of gemstones out there. Some are easy to know and spot while others you may scratch your head over. While this list is far from exhaustive, I’ve broken down the more common gemstones used in jewelry whether they’re cabochon or brilliant cut. Now you can easily reference a gem you’re looking for when you know what color you’re after.
Please keep in mind that zircon is not the same as zirconia. Cubic zirconia is a synthetic stone while zircon is a naturally found mineral. While zircon comes in many colors, white or colorless tends to be most common.
I’ve left out less common colors like pink, peach, black, etc. Though black tends to be either a spinel or onyx. But there are also gemstones that flash colors such as labradorite, opals, and moonstones. Along with changing colors like mystic topaz. The variety of natural gemstones is vast so your choices are pretty limitless.
Gemstones vary on the moh’s scale as well which indicates how hard a gemstone is. Meaning how prone to scratches they may be. When choosing a piece of jewelry with a natural gemstone, consider how often you plan to wear the piece. More frequently and you’ll want a harder stone like topaz while if you plan to wear it on occasion, a softer stone like amethyst would be okay.
