Gemstones A-Z
There are literally hundreds of gemstones and minerals on our planet. Many of those, typically stones that have a higher hardness rating on Moh’s Scale, are used in jewelry. After looking at thousands and thousands of pieces, we’ve put together a list of the gemstones and minerals found in today’s jewelry.
Remember that harder gems are less likely to sustain damage when worn. Opals are low on this list and therefore require special care, whereas sapphires and rubies are just below diamonds in hardness and can withstand the rigors of daily wear, such as in a ring setting. If we’ve missed a stone, click here to let us know. We’ll happily add it! For more information on gemstones, go to our Gemstone Resources page.
| Gemstone | Hardness (Min) | Hardness (Max) | Type | Colors |
| Achorite | 7.0 | 7.5 | Tourmaline | Colorless |
| Actinolite / Cat’s Eye | 5.0 | 6.0 | Chrysoberyl | Blue, Red, Green, Yellow, Orange, Brown, Pink, Purple, Gray, Multicolored |
| Agate | 7.0 | 7.0 | Quartz | White, Blue, Red, Green, Yellow, Orange, Brown, Pink, Purple, Gray, Black, Banded, Multicolored |
| Alexandrite | 8.5 | 8.5 | Chrysoberyl | Blue, Red, Green, Pink, Purple, Multicolored (changes color) |
| Almandine | 6.5 | 7.5 | Garnet | Red, Redish-Purple, Redish-Orange |
| Almandine Spinel | 8.0 | 8.0 | Spinel | Violet, Blue-Violet |
| Amazonite | 6.0 | 6.5 | Feldspar | Blue, Green, Purple |
| Amethyst | 7.0 | 7.0 | Quartz | Pale Lavender to Dark Purple |
| Ametrine | 7.0 | 7.0 | Quartz | Yellow and Purple (in the same stone) |
| Amolite | 3.5 | 4.0 | Rainbow | |
| Andalusite | 7.0 | 7.5 | Andalusite | Green, Yellow, Red, Brown, Multicolored |
| Andesine | 6.0 | 6.5 | Feldspar | Red, Red-Orange, Greenish-Red |
| Andesine Labradorite | 7.5 | 8.0 | Beryl | Pink, Yellow, Red, Orange, Red/Green, Green |
| Andradite | 6.5 | 7.5 | Garnet | Yellow, Green, Brown |
| Andusalite | 7.0 | 7.5 | Andalusite | White, Green, Yellow, Orange, Brown, Pink, Gray, Black, Multicolored |
| Aquamarine | 7.5 | 8.0 | Beryl | Light Blue, Blue, Blue-Green |
| Aventurine | 6.5 | 7.0 | Quartz | Pale Green, Blue-Green, Dark Green |
| Azurite / Blue Malachite | 3.5 | 4.0 | Copper Carbonate | Royal Blue |
| Azurmalachite | 3.5 | 4.0 | Copper Carbonate | Blue & Green (mix of Azurite and Malachite |
| Balas Ruby | 8.0 | 8.0 | Spinel | Red |
| Baltic Amber | 2.0 | 2.5 | Non-Mineral (Organic) |
Yellow, Red, Green, Brown, Orange |
| Benitoite | 6.0 | 6.5 | Benitoite | Dark Blue |
| Black Onxy | 7.0 | 7.0 | Chalcedony | Opaque Black |
| Black Opal | 5.5 | 6.5 | Opal | Black & Multicolored |
| Bloodstone / Heliotrope | 7.0 | 7.0 | Quartz | Dark Green to Blueish Green with Red or Brown Spots |
| Brazilian Emerald | 7.0 | 7.5 | Tourmaline | Dark Green |
| Cairngorm / Smokey Quartz | 7.0 | 7.0 | Quartz | Gray, Brown |
| Carnelian | 7.0 | 7.0 | Quartz | Red, Orange |
| Cat’s Eye / Actinolite | 5.0 | 6.0 | Chrysoberyl | Blue, Red, Green, Yellow, Orange, Brown, Pink, Purple, Gray, Multicolored |
| Chalcedony | 7.0 | 7.0 | Quartz | Transulcent White, Gray, Blue |
| Chiastolite / Cross Stone | 7.0 | 7..5 | Andalusite | Brown & Black |
| Chlorspinel | 8.0 | 8.0 | Spinel | Bright Green |
| Chrome Diopside | 5.0 | 6.0 | Diopside | Green |
| Chrome Pyrope | 6.5 | 7.5 | Garnet | Red |
| Chrysoberyl | 8.5 | 8.5 | Chrysoberyl | Yellow, Brown, Green, Orange |
| Chrysocolla | 2.0 | 4.0 | Chrysocolla | Green, blue, bluish-green, blackish-blue, brown, multicolor |
| Chrysoprase / Stone of Venus | 7.0 | 7.0 | Quartz | Bright Green |
| Citrine | 7.0 | 7.0 | Quartz | Yellow, Orange-Yellow, Yellow-Brown |
| Color-Change Garnet | 6.5 | 7.5 | Garnet | Pink, Green, Yellow, Red, Blue |
| Coral | 3.0 | 4.0 | Non-Mineral (Organic) |
Pink, Red, Black, White, Blue |
| Danburite | 7.0 | 7.0 | Danburite | Colorless, Pale Yellow, Pale Brown |
| Demantoid | 6.5 | 7.5 | Garnet | Medium to Yellowish Green |
| Diamond | 10.0 | 10.0 | Diamond | Clear, White, Yellow, Blue, Green, Red, Brown, Black |
| Diaspore | 6.5 | 7.0 | Diaspore | Color-Change; Green, Yellow, Pink |
| Dravite / Brown Tourmaline | 7.0 | 7.5 | Tourmaline | Brown |
| Dumortierite | 7.0 | 7.0 | Dumortierite | Blue, Blue-Purple |
| Emerald | 7.5 | 8.0 | Beryl | Pale Green to Deep Green |
| Fire Opal | 5.5 | 6.5 | Opal | Rainbow |
| Ghanospinel | 8.0 | 8.0 | Spinel | Green, blue, bluish-green, blackish-blue, brown, multicolor |
| Golden Beryl | 7.5 | 8.0 | Beryl | Yellow |
| Goldstone | 6.5 | 7.0 | Glass | Dark Colors with Copper Flecks |
| Goshenite | 7.5 | 8.0 | Beryl | Colorless |
| Green Quartz | 7.0 | 7.0 | Quartz | Green |
| Heliodor | 7.5 | 8.0 | Beryl | Yellow |
| Heliotrope / Bloodstone | 7.0 | 7.0 | Quartz | Green and Red |
| Hessonite | 6.5 | 7.5 | Garnet | Yellow to Yellowish-Brown |
| Hiddenite | 6.5 | 7.0 | Spodumene | Pale Green |
| Hyacinth | 7.5 | 7.5 | Zircon | Red |
| Indicolite | 7.0 | 7.5 | Tourmaline | Blue |
| Iolite | 7.0 | 7.5 | Cordierite | Blue, Purple or Gray |
| Jade | 6.0 | 6.0 | Jade | White, Blue, Red, Green, Yellow, Orange, Brown, Pink, Purple, Gray, Black, Banded, Multicolored |
| Jadeite | 6.0 | 6.0 | Jade | White, Blue, Red, Green, Yellow, Orange, Brown, Pink, Purple, Gray, Black, Banded, Multicolored |
| Jargon | 7.5 | 7.5 | Zircon | Colorless, pale gray, or pale yellow |
| Jasper | 7.0 | 7.0 | Quartz | White, Blue, Red, Green, Yellow, Orange, Brown, Gray, Black, Banded, Multicolored |
| Kunzite | 6.5 | 7.0 | Spodumene | white with green inclusions |
| Labradorite | 6.0 | 6.5 | Feldspar | White, gray, light blue, light green, pale orange-red, black, |
| Lapis Lazuli | 5.0 | 5.5 | Lapis Lazuli | Blue, Multicolored |
| Malachite | 3.5 | 4.0 | Copper Carbonate | Green |
| Malaia | 6.5 | 7.5 | Garnet | Reddish-orange |
| Matura Diamond | 7.5 | 7.5 | Zircon | Colorless |
| Melanite Garnet / Titanian Andradite | 6.5 | 7.0 | Garnet | Black, Very Dark Red |
| Moldavite | 5.0 | 5.0 | Impactites | Green, Yellow-Green |
| Mookaite | 7.0 | 7.0 | Jasper | Multi-color |
| Moonstone | 6.0 | 6.5 | Feldspar | White with Blue-Green adularescence |
| Morganite / Pink Beryl | 7.5 | 8.0 | Beryl | Pink |
| Morion | 7.0 | 7.0 | Quartz | Opaque Black |
| Moss Agate | 6.5 | 7.0 | Agate | white with green inclusions |
| Mother of Pearl | Shell | iridescent | ||
| Nephrite | 6.0 | 6.0 | Jade | White, Blue, Red, Green, Yellow, Orange, Brown, Pink, Purple, Gray, Black, Banded, Multicolore |
| Onyx | 7.0 | 7.0 | Quartz | Black w/White Lines, Red w/White Lines |
| Orthoclase | 6.0 | 6.5 | Feldspar | White, yellow, colorless, pink, orange, light blue, light green, brown, gray |
| Peridot | 7.0 | 7.0 | Peridot | Green |
| Peristerite | 6.0 | 6.5 | Feldspar | Iridesccent White |
| Pink Beryl/Morganite | 7.5 | 8.0 | Beryl | Pink to Purplish Pink |
| Praziolite/Green Amethyst | 7.0 | 7.0 | Quartz | Light Green |
| Pyrope / Ant Hill Garnet | 6.5 | 7.5 | Garnet | Dark Red to Purple-Red |
| Red Beryl | 7.5 | 8.0 | Beryl | Red |
| Rhodolite | 6.5 | 7.5 | Garnet | Shandes from Pink to Red to Redish-Lavender |
| Rock Crystal | 7.0 | 7.0 | Quartz | Blue (artificially irraddiated) |
| Rose Quartz | 7.0 | 7.0 | Quartz | Light Pink |
| Rubellite | 7.0 | 7.5 | Tourmaline | Clear Light Pink |
| Rubicelle | 8.0 | 8.0 | Spinel | Yellow to Orange |
| Ruby | 9.0 | 9.0 | Corundum | Pink to Red |
| Sapphire | 9.0 | 9.0 | Corundum | White, Colorless, Blue, Green, Yellow, Orange, Brown, Pink, Purple, Gray, Black, Multicolored |
| Sapphire Spinel | 8.0 | 8.0 | Spinel | Blue |
| Siberite | 7.0 | 7.5 | Tourmaline | Purple |
| Smokey Quartz / Cairngorm | 7.0 | 7.0 | Quartz | Gray, Brown |
| Smoky Quartz | 7.0 | 7.0 | Quartz | Brown, Black |
| Spessartine | 6.5 | 7.5 | Garnet | Medium Orange to Redish-Orange |
| Spinel | 8.0 | 8.0 | Spinel | White, Colorless, Blue, Red, Green, Yellow, Orange, Brown, Pink, Purple, Black |
| Star Diopside | 5.0 | 6.0 | Diopside | Very Dark Green to Black |
| Sunstone | 6.0 | 6.5 | Feldspar | Red, Orange, Brown, Pink |
| Tanzanite | 6.5 | 6.5 | Zoisite | Blue-Violet, Purple, Gray-Blue |
| Thulite | 3.2 | 3.4 | Zoisite | Pink |
| Topaz | 8.0 | 8.0 | Topaz | White, Colorless, Blue, Red, Green, Yellow, Orange, Brown, Pink, Purple, Gray, Multicolored |
| Topazolite | 6.5 | 7.5 | Garnet | Brown, Yellow-Brown, Yellow-Green |
| Tourmaline | 7.0 | 7.5 | Tourmaline | Blue |
| Tsavorite | 6.5 | 7.5 | Garnet | Medium Green to Yellowish-Green |
| Turquoise | 5.0 | 6.0 | Turquoise | Blue-Green to Green-Blue |
| Uvarovite | 6.5 | 7.5 | Garnet | Bright Green |
| Verdilite | 7.0 | 7.5 | Tourmaline | Green |
| Water Opal | 5.5 | 6.5 | Opal | Colorless, White, Yellow, Orange, Red, Purple, Blue, Green, Gray, Brown, and Black |
| White Opal | 5.5 | 6.5 | Opal | White with muti-color fire |
| Zircon | 7.5 | 7.5 | Zircon | Colorless |
