Alexandrite

Color - Dark to Pale Green 
Source - Found mainly in Russia, Sri Lanka, Brazil, Burma, Madagascar, and USA

Alexandrite was discovered in 1830 in Russia and named after Czar Alexander II. Alexandrite is a form of the mineral chrysoberyl. This is a very attractive and rare stone; therefore, finely faceted alexandrite above one carat is among the most expensive gemstones in the world.

The most sensational feature about this stone is its surprising ability to change color under different forms of light. With a more distinct change of color, the stone becomes more valuable. A fine alexandrite should show a vivid bluish-green in daylight and a purplish-red in artificial light, without any trace of brown or grey.

Alexandrite is the traditional jewelry gift for a 55th wedding anniversary.

Amethyst

Color - Purple, Pale Lavender to Deep Reddish Purple, Bluish Violet
Source - Found mainly in Sri Lanka, Brazil, Burma, Canada, East Africa, India, North America, Russia, Uruguay, Madagascar, and Australia

The name amethyst comes from the Greek word “amethystos,” meaning “not intoxicated,” which was based on the stone's ancient reputation for preventing drunkenness. Amethyst is a variety of the quartz family, and it displays a range of purple hues, varying from very light to very dark, with deeper-colored amethysts being more highly valued. The finest quality amethysts exhibit a high degree of transparency and a rich deep purple color enhanced by flashes of burgundy or rose.

Amethyst is the birthstone for February. It is also the traditional jewelry gift for a 6th wedding anniversary.

Aquamarine

Color - Blue, Sea Green
Source - Found mainly in Brazil, Madagascar, Russia, Afghanistan, India, Pakistan, Nigeria, Zambia, Mozambique, and USA

The name aquamarine is derived from the Latin words “Aqua,” meaning “water,” and “mare,” meaning “sea.” Aquamarine is a verity of mineral Beryl. This gemstone ranges in color from light blue to deep blue. Aquamarines with a more intense color are considered more valuable. It is a very hard gemstone, making this stone tough and highly resistant to scratches.

Aquamarine is the birthstone for March.

Citrine

Color - Light Yellow, Lemon Yellow, Amber-Brown, Brilliant Orange
Source - Found mainly in South America, Brazil, Madagascar, Argentina, Russia, Scotland, and Spain

The name citrine comes from the French word “citrin,” meaning “yellow-colored.” Citrine is part of the quartz family and ranges in color from a vibrant, lemony yellow color to an earthy brown tone. Citrine is a tough gemstone with good durability. To a large extent, citrine is resistant to scratches and is an excellent choice for everyday jewelry.

Citrine is one of the birthstones for November. It is also the traditional jewelry gift for a 13th wedding anniversary.

Emerald

Color - Medium Green to Dark Green
Source - Found in Columbia, Brazil, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Afghanistan, and USA

The name emerald comes from the Greek word “smaragdos” and the old French word “esmeralde,” both meaning “green gem.” Emeralds are part of the beryl family. This gemstone varies in color depth, from medium to deep green.

Although emeralds are well-known for having inclusions, but still they have been considered as high-esteemed gems since ancient times. Flawless stones are very uncommon and are noted for their great value.

Emerald is the birthstone for May. It is the traditional jewelry gift for a 20th and 35th wedding anniversary.

Garnet

Color - Light Red, Violet, Red, White, Green, Yellow, Brown, Black
Source - Found mainly in Burma, Sri Lanka, South Africa, China, USA, Tanzania, Madagascar, India, and Australia

The name garnet is derived from the gemstone’s resemblance in color to the seeds of a pomegranate. Garnet is a member of the quartz family. The most common color of garnets is a deep red, but they can also range in color from light red to violet but can also be white, green, yellow, brown, and black.

Garnet is the birthstone for January. It is also the traditional jewelry gift for a 2nd wedding anniversary.

Iolite

Color - Violet-Blue, Deep Blue, Light Blue-Gray, Yellow-White
Source - Found mainly in India, Sri Lanka, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and Brazil

The name iolite comes from the Greek word “ion,” meaning “violet.” Iolite generally has a deep shade of violet, and it also has other hues ranging from deep blue and purple to lavender and grayish-blue. Iolite is often confused with tanzanite because of its similarity in color.

Onyx

Color - Black, White, Black with White bands, Red, Brown
Source - Found mainly in Madagascar, India, Brazil, United States, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka

The name onyx comes from the Greek word “onyx,” meaning “fingernail” or “claw.” Onyx is composed of chalcedony, which is a variety of quartz. This gemstone usually comes in white, black, or black with white bands, and it is typically dyed black to improve its color. Onyx, which is available in a red, brown, or reddish-brown color, is known as sardonyx.

Opal

Color - Black, White, Gray, Yellow, Red, Orange, and Colorless
Source - Found mainly in Australia, Brazil, Mali, Japan, Russia, USA, and Mexico

The name opal comes from three different words – the Sanskrit “upala,” the Latin “opalus,” and the Greek “opallios,” all meaning “precious stone.” Opal is comprised mostly of tightly packed silica (sand) and water. The silica refracts light and creates the rainbow of colors for which opal is known. The wider and more brilliant the range of color in an opal, the more valuable it is. Opals vary widely in body color, with white being the most common. Opals must be protected from harsh light and heat, which can dry it out and cause cracks. Opal is relatively less hard than many other stones and must be worn with caution to avoid chips or other breakage.

Opal is the birthstone for October. It is also the traditional jewelry gift for a 14th wedding anniversary.

Pearl

Color - White, White tinted with Cream, Pink, Yellow, Green, Blue, Brown, Purple, or Black.
Source - Found mainly in Persian Gulf, China Sea, Japan, Korea, and Australia

The pearl is an organic gem produced when oysters cover a foreign object with layers of nacre. There are two types of pearls: natural pearls, which are very rare, formed inside wild oysters and cultured pearls in which a bead is placed inside an oyster. The finest natural pearls are fished almost exclusively from the Persian Gulf and the China Sea, while the best cultivated ones come from Japan, Korea and more recently, Australia. 

Pearls are usually white, with a creamy or pinkish hue but may be tinted with yellow, green, blue, brown, purple, or black. Pearls are available in different shapes: round, semi-round, button, drop, pear, oval, baroque, and ringed. Perfectly round pearls are the rarest, most expensive, and most valuable.

Pearl is the birthstone for June. It is also the traditional jewelry gift for a 4th wedding anniversary.

Peridot

Color - Yellow Green, Olive, Brownish Green
Source - Found mainly in Australia, Mexico, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Tanzania, China, Burma, Arizona, USA, Pakistan, and Afghanistan

The name peridot comes from the Greek word “peridona,” meaning “giving plenty.” It comes from the mineral olivine. Peridot is one of the few stones that is found only in one color – varying hues of lime green to darker green. Peridot is formed deep within the Earth under extreme heat and pressure.

Peridot is the birthstone for August.

Ruby

Color - Bright Red, Brownish-Red, Purplish-Red, Dark Red
Source - Found mainly in Burma, Thailand, Sri Lanka, and Tanzania

The name ruby derives from the Latin word “rubens,” meaning “red.” In Sanskrit, the ruby is called “ratnaraj,” which means “the king of precious stones.” Ruby is the red variety of the mineral corundum, one of the hardest minerals on Earth. Only red corundum is entitled to be called ruby; all other colors are classified as sapphires.The most prized tint of a ruby is a deep crimson red. The ruby has excellent hardness, durability, luster, and rarity.

Ruby is the birthstone for July. It is the traditional jewelry gift for a 15th wedding anniversary.

Sapphire

Color - Blue, Yellow, Green, White, Colorless, Pink, Orange, Brown, and Purple
Source - Found mainly in Sri Lanka, Thailand, Burma, Australia, India, Brazil, and Africa

The name sapphire is derived from the Latin word “saphirus,” and the Greek word “sapheiros,” both meaning “blue stone.” Sapphire is also a verity of the mineral corundum and represents all the colors except red corundum, which is ruby. The main color of a sapphire is blue, but it is also found in colors like green, orange, pink, gray, colorless, black, brown, and purple. The word "sapphire" in its plain context refers only to blue sapphire, unless a prefix color is specified.

Sapphire is the birthstone for September. It is the traditional jewelry gift for a 5th and 45th wedding anniversary.

Tanzanite

Color - Deep Blue, Light Violet-Blue, Purple
Source - Found in Tanzania

Tanzanite is a member of the quartz family and is relatively new to the jewelry industry. Tanzanite, with its vibrant violet-blue color, was discovered in 1967 at Merelani Hills in Tanzania. The gemstone is named after the East African state of Tanzania, the only place in the world where it has been found.

Topaz

Color - Blue, Brown, Green, Orange, Pink, Red, Yellow, White, Gold, Colorless
Source - Found mainly in Brazil, Sri Lanka, Burma, Nigeria, USA, Australia, Madagascar, and Mexico

The name topaz comes from the Sanskrit word “tapas,” meaning “fire.” Topaz is a member of the quartz family. This gemstone most commonly has a yellow color and when heat treated, turns a vibrant light blue. The world's largest supplier of topaz is Brazil.

Topaz is one of the birthstones for November. Blue topaz is the traditional jewelry gift for a 5th wedding anniversary.

Tourmaline

Color - Black, Red, Pink, Blue, Green, Grey, and Yellow
Source - Found mainly in Brazil, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, Madagascar, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and USA

The name tourmaline comes from the Singhalese words “tura mali,” loosely meaning “stone with mixed colors.” Tourmaline is a member of the quartzite family. Tourmaline comes in all spectrums of color, the most common being green and pink. Stones with two colors are known as bicolored tourmalines, and those with more than two are known as multicolored tourmalines.

Tourmaline is the traditional jewelry gift for an 8th wedding anniversary.