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THE GEMHOOD GEMSTONE LIBRARY
An A–Z field guide to the world's most intriguing gemstones—how they form, where they are found, what makes them beautiful and how to care for jewellery made with them.
DISCOVER WITH CONFIDENCE
Gemstone names can hide important differences. Sapphire and ruby belong to the same mineral family, while jade can mean two distinct minerals. Some stones are mined from a handful of localities; others occur across continents. Understanding those distinctions makes it easier to compare quality, treatments and value.
Our independent GEMHOOD editorial guides separate scientific gem facts from cultural meanings and focus on questions worth asking before you buy.
EDITOR'S SELECTION
A banded form of chalcedony quartz used for ornamental stones and distinctive jewellery.
Explore guide ↗
Colour-changing chrysoberyl, typically appearing greenish in daylight and reddish in warm artificial ligh...
Explore guide ↗
A blue-green variety of microcline feldspar used as beads and polished decorative stones.
Explore guide ↗
Amethyst is the purple variety of quartz, appreciated for its range from gentle lilac to deep violet. Its...
Explore guide ↗FIND THE RIGHT STONE
THE COMPLETE LIBRARY
An iron-oxide mineral known for its metallic grey appearance and red-brown streak.
Origins · Care · Buying advice ↗
A jewellery and carving term referring chiefly to jadeite and nephrite, two distinct mineral materials.
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An aluminium silicate mineral, often blue, whose hardness differs by crystal direction.
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A feldspar that may display colourful iridescent flashes known as labradorescence.
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A blue metamorphic rock traditionally used for decorative stones and jewellery, often with golden pyrite flecks.
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A strongly banded green copper carbonate mineral, polished for decorative gems; avoid abrasive cleaning.
Origins · Care · Buying advice ↗
Moonstone is a feldspar gemstone associated with a floating glow called adularescence in certain specimens. Jewellery sett...
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Natural volcanic glass that forms when lava cools rapidly, often polished to a dark reflective finish.
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A variety of chalcedony often used in black or black-and-white jewellery; dyed material should be disclosed.
Origins · Care · Buying advice ↗Many opals display changing flashes of colour known as play-of-colour, while other varieties are more uniform. Their relat...
Origins · Care · Buying advice ↗
An organic gem formed within certain molluscs; natural and cultured pearls must be accurately distinguished.
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Peridot is the gem variety of olivine, commonly recognised by its yellow-green to green appearance. It brings a bright acc...
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A manganese carbonate mineral with pink and red banding, most often made into protected jewellery.
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A pink manganese silicate commonly containing distinctive black manganese-oxide veins.
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A typically translucent pink variety of quartz; its soft appearance makes it popular in jewellery and carvings.
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Ruby is the red variety of corundum. Its rich red appearance makes it a recognised choice for statement rings, pendants an...
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Sapphire is a gem variety of corundum, often associated with blue but also found in other colours. Its hardness makes it a...
Origins · Care · Buying advice ↗Sardonyx is a banded chalcedony material showing contrasting reddish-brown or darker sard layers with pale onyx-like bands...
Origins · Care · Buying advice ↗INDEPENDENT OF FILTERS
Every currently published GEMHOOD gemstone guide is linked below. Use this directory to discover a stone directly, even when it is not shown on the current results page.
COMPARE BEFORE YOU CHOOSE
Compare actual encyclopedia records for two published gemstones. Mohs hardness describes scratch resistance, not resistance to cracking; appearance and buying disclosures matter too.
THE GEMHOOD BUYING ACADEMY
A good gemstone purchase begins with knowing what the seller is describing. These six essentials are useful across colourless, coloured, organic and assembled gems.
Mohs hardness measures resistance to being scratched. Toughness concerns breaking or chipping; stability concerns heat, light, moisture and chemicals. A hard stone may still chip at an exposed corner, and a relatively soft material can be enjoyed for years when worn carefully.
A natural gem can be heated, dyed, filled or coated. Ask what has been done, whether the result is stable, whether special care is required and how treatment affects comparative value. Cutting and polishing alone are not the same as colour or clarity enhancement.
A trade colour, mine nickname or poetic name does not establish mineral identity. Ask whether the actual stone is natural, laboratory-grown, composite or an imitation. Valuable exceptions merit documentation from an independent qualified laboratory.
Bright spotlights, warm bulbs, cool daylight and camera editing can radically affect apparent colour. Request face-up and side views, ideally moving video of the exact item. That is especially useful for colour-change and optical-effect gemstones.
The fact that a gemstone occurs in a country does not prove the origin of a particular specimen. If a listing charges extra for geographic provenance, ask for the evidence supporting that claim and recognise that some localities cannot be determined with certainty.
A protected pendant and an exposed everyday ring face very different wear. Consider mount security, fragile points, repairs, cleaning restrictions and return terms. A beautiful stone is a better purchase when it suits the way the jewellery will actually be worn.
Educational guidance only; gemstone treatment, origin and identification details for an individual product must be verified separately.
GEMSTONE KNOWLEDGE
Geological origin explains how a mineral or organic gem develops. Known mining regions do not certify where any individual piece of jewellery came from.
Heat treatment, filling, dyeing, synthetics and imitations are different disclosures. Understand the actual material and treatment before comparing prices.
Mohs hardness concerns scratching. Cleavage, toughness, setting protection and cleaning methods also affect how safely jewellery can be worn.
Gemstone origins are illustrative geological and commercial localities, not independent verification of our individual products. Spiritual meanings are cultural traditions rather than medical claims.
