Precious gems include diamond, ruby, emerald and sapphire. All other gems are semi-precious.
The jewelry industry recognizes the highest quality gemstones by their purity, depth and color saturation.
Almost all gemstones contain small impurities called inclusions. Flawless gemstones are very rare and valuable.
A high-quality gemstone is cut to showcase the most even color, expose the fewest inclusions, and display the majority of the stone when mounted in jewelry.
Emerald: Emeralds come in many shades of green and bluish-green, and are the May birthstone.
Ruby: Red, ruby’s color, is associated with love, passion and power. The most popular colors are a medium or medium-dark red. If the gem is lighter or includes shades of purple or orange, it’s considered to be a fancy-color sapphire. Ruby is the July birthstone.
Sapphire: Known for its brilliant blue hues, the most prized sapphires range from very light to dark blue, but can also be found in pink, purple, green and orange. The sapphire, September’s birthstone, is in the same gemstone family as the ruby.
