What are Gemstones? Top 20 Most Popular Gemstones for Jewelry

Gemstones are one of the natural minerals often used to craft jewelry and for beauty. Many people prefer gemstones for their shimmering beauty and profound meanings. So, what are gemstones? Jemmia will share knowledge and mention 13 types of gemstones that are most popular in the market today through the article below. 

What are gemstones?

Gemstones (precious stones) are rare minerals with high hardness, exceptional beauty, and clarity, primarily used in jewelry making. According to the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), out of over 3,000 minerals discovered in nature, only about 100 types – equivalent to 1/20 – are recognized as gemstones or semi-precious stones.

The most popular types include diamonds, rubies, sapphires, and emeralds... Their common traits are rarity, aesthetic value, and superior durability, making gemstones symbols of luxurious beauty and enduring value in the jewelry industry.

The Meaning of Gemstones

Gemstones are not only favored for their sparkling beauty and rarity but also carry many profound meanings. Jemmia will share a meaning of gemstones below:

• Symbol of Power and Luxury: Since ancient times, gemstones have been considered symbols of power and wealth. Kings and aristocrats often used gemstones in their attire and jewelry to express their status and authority.
• Spirituality and Feng Shui: Many gemstones are believed to bring luck, health, and prosperity. For example: Amethyst is believed to have the ability to protect and bring peace; Jade is considered a symbol of longevity and fortune.
• Love and Commitment: Diamonds, one of the most popular gemstones, are often used in engagement and wedding rings, symbolizing eternal love and commitment.
• Energy Balancing: Some people believe that gemstones help balance energy. For instance, emeralds are thought to improve health; rose quartz is believed to bring peace and love.
• Aesthetics and Art: Gemstones possess natural beauty and a variety of colors, enhancing the wearer's beauty and creating exquisite works of art in jewelry making.

Thanks to these profound meanings, gemstones not only bring material value but also significant spiritual and cultural value. Today, gemstones have become an important part of natural and feng shui jewelry making.

13 Most Popular Gemstone Jewelry Types Today

Natural gemstones are beautiful and sparkling, so many people choose them for everyday jewelry. Jemmia will share with you 13 types of gemstone jewelry that are most popular in the market today:

Diamond

According to the GIA color scale, diamond colors are graded from D to Z with decreasing clarity. Diamonds graded D are considered completely colorless and of the highest quality. Currently, about 49% of mined diamonds are primarily from South and Central Africa.

Diamonds are considered mystical symbols, representing power, strength, wealth, and luxury. Diamonds have a hardness of 10/10 on the Mohs scale. Diamonds rank highest in hardness, indicating excellent resistance to breakage and scratches.

Ruby

Ruby is a dazzling gemstone with a captivating red color. The more vibrant this gemstone is, the more popular and valuable it becomes. "Pigeon's blood" ruby, with its vivid red color mixed with a slight purplish hue, is the most valuable.

Southeast Asia, especially Myanmar and Vietnam, are known for their large and promising Ruby mines. In Western culture, a pair of Ruby wedding rings is considered a symbol of a lifelong, faithful promise.

Ruby has a hardness of 9/10 on the Mohs scale, second only to diamond. Ruby is highly durable, resistant to damage and scratches.

Sapphire

Sapphires are also known as Lam Ngoc stones. Due to different crystallization and impurities, sapphires come in a variety of colors such as yellow, blue, green, purple, and pink... Red corundum is called Ruby (hồng ngọc). All other colors are collectively called Sapphire.

The more pure the blue color and the more vibrant the hue, the higher the value of a sapphire. Sapphires are mined in many places like Nghe An, Lam Dong, Dak Lak, and Yen Bai.

Sapphire has a hardness of 9/10 on the Mohs scale, just like Ruby. Sapphires are very hard and durable, resistant to scratches, making them suitable for jewelry making and avant-garde artistic designs. 

Emerald

Emeralds are also known as Emerald. This is one of the most famous gemstones with a captivating green color. Different crystallization and impurity levels create various shades of green in emeralds. Particularly, stones with pure and vibrant green colors are the most valuable.

Currently, Vietnam has few emerald mines. This gemstone is found mainly in provinces known for gemstone mining activities such as Nghe An, Yen Bai, Lam Dong, and Dak Lak.

Emeralds have a hardness of 7.5 – 8/10 on the Mohs scale. While not as hard as diamonds or sapphires, emeralds still have relatively good durability. However, due to their brittle nature and tendency to crack, emeralds require careful care and crafting.

Topaz

Topaz is also known as Hoang Ngoc stone, available in various colors such as colorless, yellow, pinkish-orange, blue,... Among these, Topaz is most loved for its shimmering orange-yellow with red or deep pink hues, also known as Imperial Topaz, or the London Blue Topaz.

Topaz has a hardness of 7.5 – 8/10 on the Mohs scale. However, Imperial Topaz remains one of the most popular gemstones in the jewelry world, but it requires careful preservation.

See more: What Color Topaz Rings Are Most Popular Today?

Aquamarine

Aquamarine is also known as Ngoc Hai Lam. This is a famous gemstone with a gentle blue color, often associated with the color of the sea. The color of Aquamarine can range from light green-blue to deep blue. Among these, stones with pure and bright blue colors are generally the most valuable.

Aquamarine has a hardness of 7.5 – 8/10 on the Mohs scale. It has quite high durability, is resistant to scratches, and is suitable for crafting into various types of jewelry. Aquamarine is not only favored for its gentle, elegant beauty but also symbolizes courage, peace, and eternal love.

Quartz

Quartz is also known as Thach Anh. It is one of the most common and diverse gemstones. Quartz includes Amethyst, Rose Quartz, Citrine, Clear Quartz, Smoky Quartz, and many other colors. 

In Vietnam, Quartz is also mined in some areas such as Nghe An, Thanh Hoa, and Gia Lai. Quartz mines in Vietnam provide many types of stones with diverse quality and colors.

Quartz has a hardness of 7.5 – 8/10 on the Mohs scale, considered quite durable. Each color of Quartz carries its own meaning and uses, from bringing peace, love, to prosperity and luck.

Zircon

Zircon is a gemstone available in colorless, blue, yellow, pink, purple, orange, and green colors. Among these, colorless and blue Zircon are the most popular. Colorless Zircon can be mistaken for diamond due to its clarity and brilliance. 

Zircon has a hardness of 6.5 – 7/10 on the Mohs scale. Although its hardness and durability are quite high, this stone also needs to be carefully preserved to avoid scratches and damage.  

Zircon has a strong light reflection capability, creating an alluring shimmering beauty. In Vietnam, Zircon is also found and mined in some areas such as Lam Dong, Dak Nong, and Nghe An. 

Jade

Jade is also known as Cam Thach stone. Jade has two main types: Jadeite and Nephrite, with Jadeite being more valuable and generally preferred. Jade comes in colors including green, white, red, yellow, purple, and black. Among these, bright and uniform green Jade, especially the emerald-colored type, is considered the most valuable.

Jade has a hardness of 6 – 7/10 on the Mohs scale. This stone is highly durable and has good impact resistance, making it widely used in jewelry. However, Jade needs careful preservation to maintain its beauty and durability for a long time.

In Vietnam, Jade is also found and mined in some areas such as Yen Bai and Thanh Hoa.

See more: 6 Ways to Accurately Identify Real and Fake Jade 

Amber

Amber is also known as Ho Phach stone. It is a unique gemstone formed from fossilized tree resin millions of years ago. With warm colors ranging from light yellow to orange-yellow, brown, and red, Amber often possesses a natural and captivating beauty. Some amber pieces contain inclusions like ancient insects or plants, increasing their value and appeal.

Amber has a hardness of about 2 – 2.5/10 on the Mohs scale, much lower than other gemstones. Therefore, amber is easily scratched and requires careful preservation to maintain its original beauty. However, its durability is sufficient for crafting into many types of exquisite jewelry and decorative items.

In Vietnam, amber is not as common as some other gemstones. Large amber mines have not been discovered. However, high-quality amber stones are often imported from countries with large reserves and renowned for this type of gemstone.

Malachite

Malachite, also known as Peacock stone, is a copper carbonate mineral (semi-precious stone) hailed as the world's premier "Transformation Stone" and "Energy Guardian" in the crystal world. It has a deep connection to the Heart Chakra, promoting emotional balance and supporting renewal. In Feng Shui, Malachite is perfectly compatible with the Wood element and supports the Fire element. Users should note strict preservation rules: check for natural patterns to avoid fakes, and absolutely do not soak the stone in salt water or harsh chemicals due to its water-averse nature.

Malachite is perfectly compatible with the Wood element and supports the Fire element

Storm Stone

Storm Stone Pietersite is a rare variant of Quartz, distinguished by its characteristic optical effect – vivid swirling bands of color creating a strong 3D depth. This stone is not only visually captivating but also a powerful symbol of breakthrough transformation, courage, and the ability to find clear direction amidst chaos. Possessing strong protective energy, Pietersite helps its owner unlock deep intuition, cleanse negative energy, thereby reinforcing steadfastness in beliefs and promoting wise decisions in personal development journeys.

Storm Stone

Criteria for Evaluating Gemstones

To evaluate and determine the value of a gemstone, people rely on basic criteria such as rarity, clarity, beauty, and durability. Below are details about each gemstone evaluation criterion:

Beauty

The brighter and more sparkling the color of a gemstone, the more beautiful and valuable it is. Some stones with rare colors are worth a great deal. 

Example: Ruby, Sapphire, Jade, and Emerald are among the most attractive gemstones in terms of color.

Clarity

The more transparent a gemstone is, free from inclusions, the higher its value. Gemstones with high light reflectivity are more valuable, with diamonds being a prime example.

Some gemstones may not have striking colors or high clarity but possess special optical effects, thus increasing their value.

Example: The "Rainbow" effect of Opal, the "Star" phenomenon in Ruby and Sapphire, or the "Cat's eye" effect all increase the value of a gemstone. 

Durability

The durability of a gemstone is assessed by its hardness, toughness, and chemical resistance. 

• Hardness: The harder the gemstone, the higher its mechanical strength, and the less prone it is to chipping or scratching. Diamonds are a prime example with the highest hardness.
• Toughness: Some stones, while not extremely hard, are very tough due to their stable internal structure, such as jade.
• Chemical Resistance: Gemstones need to withstand the effects of common chemicals and high temperatures.

Rarity

The rarity of a gemstone often depends on natural scarcity and subjective factors from humans. 

Example: Amethyst was highly valued before the 20th century because it was very rare. However, after significant deposits were found in Russia and Brazil, the value of this stone decreased considerably.

In addition to the above criteria, gemstones are also evaluated based on other factors such as stone size, cut quality, and buyer preferences in different regions of the world.

How to Accurately Distinguish Real from Fake Gemstones

When distinguishing real from fake gemstones, you need to inspect carefully and apply expert knowledge. Here are some methods Jemmia shares to identify real and fake gemstones:

• Meticulous Visual Inspection: Check color, clarity, and imperfections. Real stones often have natural patterns and are not perfectly flawless.
• Tactile Sensation: Real stones usually feel cool to the touch, while fake stones feel warmer.
• Temperature Test: Real stones will retain their coolness longer when placed on the skin or after being heated.
• Consult Gemstone Experts: Seek advice from gemstone experts for accurate assessments.
• Visit Gemological Laboratories: Bring the stones to reputable gemological laboratories for testing and authentication. This is also the most accurate way to distinguish real from fake gemstones.

Why are Gemstones Becoming More Popular?

Gemstones have existed for hundreds of thousands of years, absorbing the essence of heaven and earth and possessing special values. A prime example is Ruby, with its fiery red color likened to a symbol of enduring and passionate love. Couples believe that owning Rubies will strengthen their love and bring them a fulfilling happiness.

Today, pink gemstones have become special and meaningful gifts for important anniversaries such as silver weddings (25 years), golden weddings (50 years), and diamond weddings (60 years). Pink gemstones symbolize eternal, steadfast, and passionate love, a testament to enduring bonds over time.

Evaluating the value of gemstones based on criteria such as color, purity, weight, and craftsmanship helps us better understand their true worth. This also contributes to gemstones becoming increasingly popular in modern life.

See more: The Meaning of 25 Gemstones in Feng Shui and Life

The article above from Jemmia has shared with you what gemstones are and the 10 most popular gemstone jewelry types. We hope this knowledge will help you understand more about gemstones. Thank you for reading. 

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