Treasured for centuries in crowns and jewellery, gemstones each offer their own allure. As you navigate this Gemstone Guide, consider essential qualities if the gemstones such as radiance, durability, value, and ethics before making your selection.
Diamonds have long been esteemed for their unparalleled brilliance and exceptional hardness, ranking 10 on the Mohs scale. Renowned for its enduring sparkle, diamonds are well-suited for heirloom pieces that can withstand a lifetime of everyday wear. However, it’s worth noting that large, high-quality diamonds often come with substantial price tags, making them financially unattainable for many budgets.
Moissanite equals and even surpasses the luminosity of diamonds at a considerably lower cost. This lab-created marvel nearly matches diamonds in toughness as well. Paired with eco-friendly production methods, moissanite offers stunning accessories with day-to-day durability, now within the financial reach of diverse incomes.
Following moissanite are two hard yet affordable gems, ruby and sapphire. Fiery rubies captivate with hues spanning from pink to blood-red, and their Mohs score of 9 ensures resilience to chipping and scratches. Sapphires impress in a spectrum from orange to violet, with the most coveted shades being regal navy and passionate red. With hardness second only to diamonds and moissanite, rubies and sapphires allow for affordable jewellery designed to withstand years of daily wear.
In contrast, exquisite emeralds trade some toughness for their verdant beauty. The rare vivid green sets emeralds apart, but their fragile Mohs score of 7.5-8 makes them prone to scratching or chipping if not handled with care. Ideal for necklaces and earrings rather than rings, emeralds embody organic loveliness, best reserved for special events.
Diamond’s brilliance, sapphire’s resilience, ruby’s range—all offer sparking self-expression. Match gem to purpose by evaluating hardness, colour variety, inclusions and production ethics against personal priorities of budget, daily wear versus occasional use, and eco-friendly sourcing. Then let your preferences guide you to the perfect gem to adorn you.
FAQs:
How do gemstones differ in toughness and durability?
Diamonds, as the hardest gem, can withstand repeated daily wear for decades without damage. Next come moissanite, nearly matching diamonds in resilience and toughness. After these come rubies and sapphires with excellent hardness as well. Emeralds are softest and require more delicate handling.
What makes an eco-friendly gem?
Lab-created gems like moissanite have eco-friendly production methods unlike mining operations that disrupt the environment. Also gems can be eco-friendly based on mining location or rated on responsible sourcing free of child labour or conflict.
Which gems offer more jewellery design flexibility?
Diamonds place much of the budget on the stone itself, limiting framework options. Large high-clarity diamonds require basic unembellished settings to maximise their prominence. Rubies and sapphires of premium colours also drive cost allocation heavily toward the gem. In contrast, moissanite, with exceptional fire and brilliance rivalling or exceeding diamonds, free up budget for ornate settings in better gold or platinum quality. With moissanite as the featured stones, the savings enable investing in filigreed frameworks and custom designer embellishments. So for jewellery as personal artwork, moissanite opens creative doors for one-of-a-kind adornments expressing individual style.
