What Are Gemstones? Top 20 Most Popular Jewelry Gemstones

Gemstones are one of the natural minerals commonly used to craft jewelry and for beauty purposes. Many people favor gemstones for their sparkling beauty and profound meaning. So what are gemstones? Jemmia will share knowledge and mention 13 of the most popular gemstones on the market today in the article below. 

What are gemstones?

Gemstones (precious stones) are rare minerals with high hardness, special beauty, and transparency, used mainly in the jewelry-making industry. According to the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), among more than 3,000 mineral types discovered in nature, only about 100 types - equivalent to 1/20 are recognized as precious or semi-precious stones.

The most common types include diamonds, ruby, sapphire, and emerald,... Their common characteristics are rarity, aesthetic value, and outstanding durability, making gemstones a symbol 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 some meanings of gemstones below:

• A symbol of power and luxury: Since ancient times, gemstones have been considered symbols of power and wealth. Kings and nobles often used gemstones in clothing and jewelry to show status and authority.
• Spirituality and feng shui: Many gemstones are believed to bring luck, health, and prosperity. For example: Amethyst is believed to have protective qualities and bring peace; Jade is considered a symbol of longevity and wealth.
• Love and connection: Diamonds, one of the most popular gemstones, are often used in engagement rings and wedding bands, symbolizing eternal love and connection.
• Energy balance: Some people believe gemstones help balance energy. For example, emerald is believed to help improve health conditions; rose quartz is believed to bring peace and love.
• Aesthetics and art: Gemstones have natural beauty and a diversity of colors, helping enhance the wearer's beauty and create exquisite works of art in the field of jewelry crafting.

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

13 most popular gemstone types for jewelry today

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

Diamond

According to the GIA color scale, diamond color is classified from D to Z with decreasing transparency. Diamonds graded D are considered completely transparent and of the highest quality. Currently, about 49% of mined diamonds come mainly from South Africa and Central Africa.

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

Ruby

Ruby is a beautifully sparkling gemstone with an attractive red color. The more vivid this gemstone is, the more favored and valuable it becomes. “Pigeon blood” ruby, with its vivid bright red color mixed with a slight purplish hue, has the highest value.

Southeast Asia, especially Myanmar and Vietnam, is known as a region with large and highly promising ruby mines. A pair of wedding rings set with ruby stones is considered a symbol of a hundred-year faithful promise according to Western culture.

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

Sapphire

Sapphire is also called blue gemstone. Due to different crystallization and impurity content, sapphire comes in many diverse colors such as yellow, blue, green, purple, pink,... Only red corundum is called ruby. All the remaining colors are collectively called sapphire.

The closer sapphire stones are to pure blue and the more vivid their brilliance, the higher their value. Sapphire is widely mined at gemstone mines such as Nghệ An, Lâm Đồng, Đăk Lăk, and Yên Bái. 

Sapphire has a hardness of 9/10 on the Mohs scale, just like ruby. Sapphire is hard and highly durable, resistant to scratches, so it belongs to the group of gemstones suitable for crafting jewelry and unconventional artistic designs. 

Emerald

Emerald is also called Emerald. This is one of the most famous gemstones with an attractive green color. Different crystallization and impurity contents create diverse shades of green in emeralds. In particular, stones with pure and vivid green color are the most valuable.

Currently, Vietnam has few emerald mines. This stone appears mainly in provinces famous for gemstone mining activities such as Nghệ An, Yên Bái, Lâm Đồng, and Đắk Lắk.

Emerald has a hardness of 7.5 – 8/10 on the Mohs scale. Although emerald is not as hard as diamond or sapphire, it still has relatively good durability. However, due to its brittleness and tendency to crack, emerald needs to be preserved and crafted carefully.

Topaz

Topaz is also called imperial jade and comes in a variety of colors such as colorless, yellow, orange-pink, blue,… Among them, the most loved topaz is the golden-orange variety with shades of red or deep pink, also called imperial topaz, or the London Blue topaz variety.

Topaz has a hardness of 7.5 – 8/10 on the Mohs scale. However, imperial topaz is still one of the extremely popular gemstones in the jewelry world, though it needs to be preserved carefully.

See more: Which Topaz Ring Color Is Most Popular Today?

Aquamarine

Aquamarine is also called Aquamarine. This is a famous gemstone with a gentle blue color, often associated with the color of the sea. Aquamarine’s color can range from pale greenish blue to deep blue. Among them, stones with pure, bright blue color usually have the highest value.

Aquamarine has a hardness of 7.5 – 8/10 on the Mohs scale. It has fairly high durability, is difficult to scratch, and is suitable for crafting into many different types of jewelry. Aquamarine is not only favored for its gentle, elegant beauty but also carries meanings of courage, peace, and eternal love.

Quartz

Quartz is also called Quartz. This 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 Nghệ An, Thanh Hóa, and Gia Lai. Quartz mines in Vietnam supply many types of stones with diverse colors and quality.

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

Zircon

Zircon is a gemstone that comes in colorless, blue, yellow, pink, purple, orange, and green. Among them, colorless and blue zircon are the most favored. Colorless zircon can be mistaken for diamond because of its transparency and sparkle. 

Zircon has a hardness of 6.5 – 7/10 on the Mohs scale. Although its hardness and durability are fairly high, this stone still needs careful preservation to avoid scratches and damage.  

Zircon has the ability to reflect light strongly, creating a captivating sparkling beauty. In Vietnam, zircon is also found and mined in some areas such as Lâm Đồng, Đắk Nông, and Nghệ An. 

Jade

Jade is also called Jade. Jade has two main types: Jadeite and Nephrite, among which Jadeite is more valuable and usually more favored. Jade comes in colors including green, white, red, yellow, purple, and black. Among them, bright and uniform green jade, especially emerald-green jade, is considered the most valuable.

Jade has a hardness of 6 – 7/10 on the Mohs scale. This stone has high durability and good resistance to force, so it is widely used in jewelry. However, jade needs to be preserved carefully to maintain its beauty and long-lasting durability.

In Vietnam, jade is also found and mined in some areas such as Yên Bái and Thanh Hóa.

See more: 6 most accurate ways to identify real and fake jade 

Amber

Amber is also called Amber. This is a unique gemstone originating from fossilized tree resin from millions of years ago. With warm colors ranging from pale yellow to orange-yellow, brown, and red, amber often has a natural beauty that attracts the eye. Some amber stones contain inclusions such as insects or ancient plants, adding to 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 needs to be preserved carefully to maintain its original beauty. However, its durability is still sufficient to be crafted into many types of jewelry and delicate decorative items.

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

Malachite

Malachite, also known as Peacock Stone, is a Copper Carbonate mineral (semi-precious stone) dubbed the "Transformation Stone" and the world's leading "Energy Bodyguard" in the crystal world. It has a deep connection with the Heart Chakra, helping balance emotions and support renewal. In feng shui, Malachite is perfectly compatible with the Wood element and supports the Fire element. Users should note strict preservation rules: check natural stone patterns to avoid fakes, and absolutely do not soak the stone in salt water or strong chemicals because of its water-sensitive characteristics.

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

Storm stone

Storm stone Pietersite is a rare Quartz variant, outstanding for its characteristic optical effect - vivid swirling color patterns that create a strong 3D depth sensation. This stone is not only visually captivating but also a powerful symbol of breakthrough transformation, courage, and the ability to find a clear direction amid chaos. Carrying intense protective energy, Pietersite helps its owner unlock deep intuition, cleanse negative energy, thereby strengthening steadfastness in one’s stance and promoting wise decisions on the journey of personal development.

Storm stone

Standards for evaluating gemstones

To evaluate and determine the value of a gemstone, people rely on basic standards such as rarity, transparency, beauty, durability,… Below are details of each gemstone evaluation standard:

Beauty

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

For example: Ruby, Sapphire, Jade, and Emerald are the gemstones with the most attractive colors.

Transparency

The more transparent a gemstone is and the fewer impurities it contains, the higher its value. Gemstones with high light reflection ability are more valuable, with diamonds being a typical example.

Some gemstones do not have outstanding color or high transparency but have special optical effects, so their value is higher than usual.

For example: The “Play-of-color” effect of Opal, the “Star” phenomenon of Ruby and Sapphire, or the “Cat’s eye” effect all increase the value of the gemstone. 

Durability

The durability of gemstones is evaluated through hardness, toughness, and chemical resistance. 

• Hardness: The harder the gemstone, the higher its mechanical durability and the less likely it is to chip or scratch. Diamond is a typical example with the highest hardness.
• Toughness: Some stones do not have high hardness but are very tough thanks to a durable internal structure, such as jade.
• Chemical resistance: Gemstones need to withstand the effects of common chemicals and high temperatures.

Rarity

The rarity of gemstones often depends on natural scarcity and subjective human factors. 

For example: Amethyst before the 20th century was highly valuable because it was very rare, but after being found in large quantities in Russia and Brazil, the value of this stone decreased significantly.

In addition to the standards above, gemstones are also evaluated based on other factors such as stone size, crafting quality, and buyer preferences in each region of the world.

How to accurately distinguish real and fake gemstones

When distinguishing real and fake gemstones, you need to check carefully and apply specialized knowledge. Below are some methods that Jemmia shares to identify real and fake gemstones:

• Observe carefully with the naked eye: Check the color, transparency, and imperfections. Real stones often have natural veins and are not perfect.
• Feel through touch: Real stones usually feel cool when touched, while fake stones feel warmer.
• Test with temperature: Real stones will retain a cool temperature longer when placed on the skin or after being heated.
• Ask experts for appraisal: Consult gemstone experts for an accurate evaluation.
• Go to appraisal centers: Bring the stone to reputable appraisal centers for inspection and confirmation of authenticity. This is also the most accurate way to distinguish real and fake gemstones.

Why are gemstones becoming more and more popular?

Gemstones have existed for hundreds of thousands of years, absorbing the essence of heaven and earth and carrying special values. A typical example is ruby, with its passionate red color likened to a symbol of enduring and intense love. Couples believe that owning ruby will help their love become more lasting and complete with happiness.

Nowadays, pink gemstones have become special and meaningful gifts on important anniversaries such as silver weddings (25 years), golden weddings (50 years), and diamond weddings (60 years). Pink gemstones symbolize eternal, faithful, and passionate love, serving as proof of strong attachment over time.

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

See more: The meaning of 25 gemstones in feng shui and life

In the article above, Jemmia has shared with you what gemstones are and the 10 most popular gemstone types for jewelry. Hopefully, the knowledge above will help you understand gemstones better. Thank you for following the article. 

See more: Beautiful diamond wedding ring designs with timeless beauty