Featured Gemstones

For centuries, artists and poets have used images of colored stones to express love, passion, and power.

People in every era and from all walks of life have adorned themselves with the dramatic, radiant grace of colored stone jewelry. The world of colored stones is vast and varied, and a true understanding of them requires knowledge of both science and history. Here are just a few of the most popular colored stones today, along with a description of their gemological properties, sources, treatments, and the myths and stories that make them magical.

Alexandrite  - This rare chrysoberyl variety has chameleon-like qualities. Its dramatic color change is sometimes described as “emerald by day, ruby by night.” LEARN MORE

Emerald – The most famous member of the beryl family, legends gave it the power to bestow intelligence and cure disease. LEARN MORE

Opal – When you hear a gemologist refer to opal as a phenomenal gem, you might think he’s commenting on the quality of the gemstone. Actually, phenomenal is a word used to classify gems that exhibit very special optical characteristics. LEARN MORE

Pearl and Cultured Pearl – Quite likely the best-loved gems of all time, these organic gems are treasures from the Earth’s streams, rivers, lakes, and oceans. LEARN MORE

Peridot – Birthstone for August and associated with light, peridot is the extreme gem, found in the rocks created by volcanoes and even in meteors that fall to earth. LEARN MORE

Ruby – The ultimate red gem, ruby was long considered the most valuable gemstone. Regarded as the king of gems by the sages of India, ruby, like sapphire, is the tough and durable mineral corundum. LEARN MORE

Spinel – This is the great imposter of gemstone history – many famous rubies in crown jewels around the world are actually red spinel. LEARN MORE

Tanzanite – Considered a gem of the twentieth century, this velvety blue gemstone is found only in one place on the planet. LEARN MORE

Topaz – A gem with an exceptionally wide color range, its popular blue color is the result of an irradiation process developed in the 1970s. Learn more. LEARN MORE

Turquoise – With a color so distinctive that it has lent its name to the hue, turquoise has been treasured for millennia. LEARN MORE