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Color of the gemstone

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.