Precious Stones Vs. Semi-Precious Stones
Though Diamonds Direct is synonymous with diamonds, we are proud to offer an extensive collection of precious and semi-precious gemstones. From loose stones to completed jewelry pieces- we have a collection of colored stones that will exceed your expectations. Our skilled diamond experts are also highly knowledgeable with colored gemstones. They will help you choose the perfect colored gemstone jewelry to suit your budget and your special someone.
Precious
Precious stones are distinguished by their quality, their rarity, and the beauty of their colors. There are only four precious stones: diamond, sapphire, ruby, and emerald. All other stones are therefore called semi-precious stones.
Semi-Precious
Semi-precious stones are any other gemstone except precious stones. They can have colors not typical for precious stones, like purple and yellow. Semi-precious stones are divided into minerals, rocks and aggregates, and organic materials.
Precious Stones
When determining the value and quality of a precious gemstone, color is the primary characteristic to consider. Gemologists divide gemstone color into hue, tone, and intensity. The most requested precious gemstones are sapphire, ruby, and emerald.
Semi-Precious Stones
Semi-precious stones come from all three possible types of geological formation: igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary. So, they usually come from any environment and can be found worldwide. The main differences between precious and semi-precious stones are transparency and hardness.
Trending Semi-Precious Stones
Amethyst
As the most valued quartz variety, amethyst is in demand for designer pieces and mass-market jewelry. Its purple to pastel hues retains broad consumer appeal. Amethyst is the birthstone for February and the gem for the 6th and 17th wedding anniversaries.
Morganite
Part of the beryl family, like emerald and aquamarine, however, this gemstone is favored for its pink to orange-pink color, caused by trace amounts of the element manganese. However, unlike emeralds, which tend to have many inclusions, morganite gemstones are relatively free of inclusions, making them more eye-appealing and requiring less care
Topaz
Honey yellow. Fiery orange. Cyclamen pink. Icy blue. In warm or cool tones, topaz is a lustrous and brilliant gem. Precious topaz is a birthstone for November, and blue topaz is a birthstone for December. Blue topaz is the gem of the 4th anniversary, and Imperial topaz is the gem of the 23rd anniversary.
