Understanding Gem Jewelry

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Emerald - The greenest of the green, emeralds were cherished by the Romans above all other gems. Find out what makes this favorite of Cleopatra's so unique

Garnet - January's birthstone is famous for being as red as a ruby, but this colorful gem actually comes in every color but blue. Discover this elusive chameleon

Opal - Opals are the gem world's silvery mirrors, reflecting back every color in a flash of pastels or a streak of fire. Uncover this enchanting stone.

Peridot - Peridot is a gem that gets around. From ancient Egypt to present-day Apache mesas, even in space meteorites--you never know where its green gleam is going to show up.

Ruby - The color of courage and blood, rubies are even more precious per carat than diamonds. See why the Biblical authors to modern collectors use them as the measure of ultimate value.

Tanzanite- Millions of years in the making, deep-violet tanzanite revealed itself to humans only thirty years ago. Read about this newest discovery.

Sapphire - Blue as the perfect sky, sapphires have been used as protective talismans for centuries. Learn about the versatility of this stone that combines hardness and color variation like no other.

Tourmaline - Available in every color and saturation, this tough crystal has become a popular substitute for rubies, emeralds, and sapphires. Unmask this clever chameleon.

Turquoise - The lovely opaque blue of turquoise is produced by traces of copper in the stone. Elements of iron will also create a pretty, pronounced green hue. Oxides contribute to the stone's famous gray, brown or black veining.

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Gemstone jewelry basics

As with diamonds, gemstone value and quality are evaluated according to the "Four Cs": color, clarity, cut, and carat weight. There's a fifth, much less scientific factor--perception.

Color of the gemstone

Not surprisingly, color is the key factor with colored gemstones.

A common misperception in judging gems is that people assume the darker the color, the better the stone. This isn't true: color can be too dark, as with some sapphires that look more black than blue. If a gem's color is overly dark, it tends to be subdued and lifeless.

A much better rule of thumb is the brighter, richer and more vivid the color, the better. Within each gemstone variety it is the clear, medium-tone, very intense and saturated basic color that is most preferred. Muted colors or colors between hues, which some might find very attractive, are usually less expensive.

Always remember to look at the color in different kinds of light, since the light spectrum can affect gem color greatly.