Gemstone Guide

Buying a gemstone is often a very different experience than buying a diamond. Gemstones are bought based on birthstones, favorite colors, wardrobe matches, personality, and fashion trends. While gemstones are judged using the 4Cs, just as diamonds are, each is judged separately. For example, a sapphire is compared to another sapphire, but wouldn't be compared to an emerald or aquamarine. Choose your gemstone jewelry based on your personal preferences.

Shape

We sell a number of different shaped gemstone jewelry. Some of our most popular shapes include round, oval, pear, and emerald. 

Cut

Gems are cut in a variety of different ways. Transparent stones will often be cut with facets. Unlike diamonds, the facets are planned to maximize the color. Other stones like jade, opal, and onyx will be cut into a smooth domed shape known as a cabochon. 

Color

Every gemstone has a range of color that runs from light to dark and more vivid to less vivid, with a small range of color considered preferable. All of the families of color are represented by gems of different types.

Clarity

Gemstones have internal characteristics called inclusions. For instance, gemstones such as emerald or ruby are known for having many inclusions. In contrast, gemstones such as citrine or blue topaz will have very few inclusions. Each gemstone will be graded for clarity differently.

Carat

Carat is the unit of measure used for the weight of a gemstone. As a matter of reference, a carat is equivalent to .2 grams or .007 of an ounce. Unlike diamonds, each gemstone has a different density which greatly contributes to the weight of the stone.