Gemstone Encyclopedia

Top 10 Rare Gemstones Every Collector Should Know

The rarest stone on this list was discovered already cut, in a jeweler's tray. Ten rare gemstones, organized by the mechanism behind each one's scarcity.

Paraíba Tourmaline: The Ultimate Guide to the World's most coveted Neon Gemstone

Paraíba tourmaline is celebrated for its vivid neon blue glow and extreme rarity, making it one of the most desirable colored gemstones of the modern era. With strong long-term price appreciation a...

Alexandrite: The Magical Chameleon of Gemstones

Alexandrite is one of the rarest gemstones in the world. Its magical color shift and rich history make it one of the most sought-after collector’s gems.

Apatite: The Vibrant Gemstone of Energy and Creativity

Named from the Greek word for "deception," apatite convincingly imitates gems far more valuable than itself, offering neon-blue brilliance at a fraction of their price. Learn what apatite is, why i...

Imperial Topaz: Two Colors, One Crystal, and the Truth About Pink

Imperial topaz carries two colors at once: a permanent chromium pink and a fragile golden-orange made of lattice defects. Heat destroys one and leaves the other, which explains both the treatment t...

Kunzite: Why It Fades, Why It's Irradiated, What It Costs

Nobody digs for kunzite. It is spodumene, one of the world's main lithium ores, and it turns up while somebody is mining something else. That accident explains everything: why big clean stones are ...

Opal: The Mystical Gem of Light, Colors, and Magic

Opal is one of the most mystical gemstones, known for its unique color play and rarity. In this article, we explore its history, varieties, and the world’s most famous opals.

Peridot: The Gem of Sunlight, Prosperity, and Protection

Peridot is the only major gem born below the Earth's crust, and sometimes beyond it. Its story spans pharaohs, volcano goddesses and meteorites, told here with honest buying advice.

Sphalerite: The Fiery Gem of Brilliance and Light

Sphalerite carries more than three times the fire of a diamond, with dispersion of 0.156 that no collectible gem approaches. Learn why transparent crystals are freak occurrences in zinc ore, why cu...

Sphene: The Fiery Gemstone with Unmatched Brilliance

Sphene, officially titanite, combines fire beyond diamond with the strongest facet-doubling effect in gemology, an interior that seems to move. Learn how its optical trio works, why chrome green st...

Spinel: The Hidden Treasure Among Gemstones

The most famous ruby in the British Crown Jewels is a spinel, and so are most of history's greatest red stones. Learn why spinel impersonated ruby so perfectly, why it reaches the market untreated ...

Tanzanite: The Mysterious African Gemstone, Its History, Legends, and Investment Value

Tanzanite begins with a Maasai legend of fire, a tailor who thought he found sapphire, and a Tiffany campaign that renamed a mineral. One hill below Kilimanjaro supplies the entire world, the depos...