Gemstones have long been associated with symbolism in cultures all throughout the world, going back to the earliest records of history. Several diamonds are said to have special importance or distinctive qualities, and while each one differs in colour and meaning, they are all united by their inherent beauty.

Gems have been collected and worn by humans for more than 10,000 years. Gemstones used to be thought of as little versions of heaven on earth, with names derived from the solar system and resembling either starlight specks or godly teardrops. Even now, they have symbolic meaning. We’ve created a guide with pictures to help you identify the stones and their colour variations, as well as understand the meaning and value behind some of the most popular gemstones and their colours. Whether you’re looking to find your birthstone, add a stunning statement to your gem collection, buy an heirloom, or buy a nugget of wisdom, we hope this guide will be helpful to you.

Gem Colours

The main and secondary colours of a gem are determined by its mineral composition. Because of the minerals in the soil, the same gemstone from one place may have a noticeably different colour or tone. Thailand, Sri Lanka, and Burma all mine rubies, yet they all come in various colours of red. Heat treatment can be used to intensify or entirely alter the colour of gemstones, which is how the blue topaz was produced. Many coloured gems, such as spinel, are a great substitute for valuable stones. Pleochroism describes the various colours that appear in a gemstone when seen from various angles.

List of Popular Gemstones by Colours 

Even though there are thousands of different kinds of gemstones, only a small number of them are widely used. The gemstones at the top of the popularity list are distinguished by their colour quality. Consequently, we’ve reduced our list of gemstone types of the most popular stones, organised it by colour, and added descriptions.

Blue Gemstone: Sapphire 

Gem meaning: Wisdom & Loyalty

Hardness: 9

Pleochroism: Yes (blue and purple)

Calendar significance: September birthstone, Sagittarius sign, Wednesday stone.

Description: The value of a sapphire increases with increasing blueness. That obviously doesn’t include any other sapphire hues. Although sapphires come in almost all colours, their brilliant blue tint is what makes them so well-known. The rarest of this kind of gem are asterism-displaying star sapphires. Since they have been removed from the mines in the Himalayas for almost a century, Kashmir sapphires are exceptionally uncommon. The Kashmir sapphire has incredibly tiny inclusions that give it a cornflower blue colour.

Blue-Green Stone: Blue Topaz

Gem meaning: Tranquillity & communication

Hardness: 8

Pleochroism: Weak (blues)

Calendar significance: December birthstone

Description: The vivid blue colour of the blue topaz was achieved through heat treatment, which was applied to a naturally yellow topaz. Swiss blue and London blue are the lightest and darkest tones of blue topaz, respectively. The blue-green topaz, however, lies somewhere in the middle. Topaz in any shade of blue could be used instead of more expensive blue gemstones.

Light Blue Gemstone: Aquamarine

Gem meaning: Peace and relaxation

Hardness: 7.5-8

Pleochroism: Yes (light blue and light green)

Calendar significance: March birthstone (modern)

Description: Sea foam would resemble an aquamarine if it could crystallise. The stone is an emerald-like kind of beryl, although it is cleaner and has less imperfections. The value of an aquamarine may rise with clarity.

Red Gemstone: Ruby 

Gem meaning: Love, passion, power 

Hardness: 9

Pleochroism: Yes (yellow-red and deep red)

Calendar significance: July birthstone, Tuesday stone.

Description: The ruby is only available in red, yet each shade is distinct. Like sapphires, rubies are a kind of crystals and can display asterism. The value of the Ruby increases with the depth of the red. Pigeon’s blood coloured rubies, which are deep red with a tinge of blue, are the rarest.

Green Gemstone: Emerald

Gem meaning: Vitality & energy 

Hardness: 7.5-8

Pleochroism: Yes (blue-green and yellow-green)

Calendar significance: May birthstone, Friday stone.

Description: There are no “flawless” emeralds available. The inclusions give the stone personality and tell a tale about how it was created. Nevertheless, inclusions ought to be thin and angular rather than bubbling or deeply fractured. The value of an emerald increases with the depth and richness of the green.

Light Green Gemstone: Peridot 

Gem meaning: Creativity 

Hardness: 6.5-7

Pleochroism: Weak (greens) 

Calendar significance: August birthstone (modern)

Description: The peridot was a favourite of the ancient Egyptians for protection against evil. More like olive peridots are the most expensive. Because peridots are transparent and very reflective, look out for the tiny black spots that frequently tarnish this gemstone.

Yellow Gemstone: Citrine 

Gem meaning: confidence & kindness

Hardness: 7

Pleochroism: Weak (yellow)

Calendar significance: November birthstone (modern), Virgo (yellow) & Libra (orange)

Description: Citrine is a stone for both Virgo and Libra since it may be both yellow and orange at times. The wearer has a glowing appearance from colours that resemble honey and sunlight. Brightness is important whether it’s orange or yellow, so stay away from brownish citrines.

Purple Gemstones: Amethyst

Gem meaning: Temperance & love

Hardness: 7

Pleochroism: Weak (reddish or greyish violet)

Calendar significance: February birthstone, Pisces, Thursday stone

Description: One of the most enigmatic and significant gemstones, amethyst has symbolic relevance in ancient religion, nobility, and medicine. The stone is thought to provide emotional stability and aid the user in resisting temptation. The most expensive amethysts are deep, royal purple hues.

White Gemstone: Pearl 

Gem meaning: Truth and purity 

Hardness: 2.5-4.5

Pleochroism: No

Calendar significance: June birthstone (modern), Monday stone 

Description: The most uncommon of its kind is the raw, uncultivated pearl. They frequently have a somewhat off-white tinge and a less uniform shape. Natural pearls are becoming more and more rare, and the majority of pearls are farmed. Another milky-white stone with a similar connotation to the pearl is the moonstone.

Black Gemstone: Onyx 

Gem meaning: Stamina & self-confidence

Hardness: 6.5-7

Pleochroism: No

Calendar significance: Capricorn

Description: A layered stone or carnelian in the classy black onyx is used for engraving. These gems’ settings or designs give them a special worth. Black onyx is frequently engraved, used to make jewellery with cameos, or set in ornate settings.

Multi Color Gemstone: Opal 

Gem meaning: Magic, misfortune, playfulness 

Hardness: 5.5-6.5

Pleochroism: No

Calendar significance: October birthstone (traditional)

Description: The opal exhibits no pleochroism but plenty of colors. The stone is formed from the remnants of raindrops. The harlequin opal is the most colorful and rare with the black opal coming in second. Generally, the darker the opal, the more valuable it is.