Gemstones have captivated us for centuries thanks to their their stunning beauty and mystical allure. These pieces of cut and polished mineral crystal are mostly used as gemstones in jewelry but some also have industrial uses and are used in crystal therapy. The term gemstone has evolved to encompass all kinds of materials, usually organic, so it covers other things like pearls, jet, and amber commonly used in jewelry.
The popularity of gemstones in jewelry stems not only from their visual appeal but also from the symbolic meanings and healing properties attributed to them over different ages and cultures. Let's take a closer look at the wonderful world of gemstones, the different colors and kinds, and what they represent!
What Do All Of The Different Gemstones Symbolize?
Gemstones have been associated with various symbolic meanings and properties since ancient times. These associations stem from historical, cultural, and spiritual beliefs. For some of the most popular gemstone choices, the connotations are known across the globe, regardless of culture. Diamonds symbolize purity, love, and strength, emeralds are known for their association with fertility, rebirth, and love, and rubies represent passion, protection, and prosperity. Another renowned symbolic stone is the sapphire, which symbolizes wisdom, virtue, and good fortune.
Types Of Gemstones
You can expect to see the following descriptors when browsing the world of gemstone jewelry. It can be helpful to be as educated on the various terms as possible, so you can be sure of exactly what you are buying.
Clusters & Geodes
Clusters are groups of crystals that have grown together, often forming beautiful, intricate shapes. Geodes are hollow rocks lined with crystals. These forms are appreciated for their natural beauty and are often used as decorative pieces in homes.
Points Or Towers
Crystal points or towers are gemstones that have been shaped into tall, pointed structures. They are often used in spiritual practices to direct energy and focus.
Slices
Slices of gemstones reveal the inner patterns and colors of the stone, offering a unique and detailed look at its natural beauty. These slices can be used in jewelry or as decorative pieces.
Raw Or Rough
Raw or rough gemstones are uncut and unpolished, showcasing their natural form. They are often used for their purported healing properties and their rustic beauty.
Polished Or Cut
Polished or cut gemstones have been shaped and smoothed to enhance their appearance. This category of precious gemstones includes the faceted gems commonly seen in fine jewelry, where the cutting process maximizes their brilliance and sparkle.
Gemstones By Color
The great thing about the world of gemstones in jewelry is that there is an option for you, no matter your personal preferences. The entire spectrum of color is represented in the gemstone world. Some are more iconic and prominent than others, but if you do a little research, you can find a beautiful stone in your perfect shade.
The color palette of gemstones:
Black Gemstone: Onyx, obsidian, black tourmaline, jet.
Gray Gemstone: Labradorite, hematite, moonstone.
Brown Gemstone: Tiger's eye, smoky quartz, petrified wood.
Blue Gemstone: Sapphire, aquamarine, lapis lazuli, blue topaz, kyanite.
Purple Gemstone: Amethyst, sugilite, lepidolite.
Red Gemstone: Ruby, garnet, red jasper.
Orange Gemstone: Carnelian, fire opal, sunstone.
Peach Gemstone: Moonstone, peach aventurine.
Green Gemstone: Emerald, peridot, green tourmaline, jade, malachite.
Yellow Gemstone: Citrine, yellow topaz, amber.
Pink Gemstone: Rose quartz, pink tourmaline, morganite.
White Gemstone: Diamond, pearl, white opal, selenite.
And this is just the tip of the iceberg. There are so many more gemstones to admire across the color spectrum!
What Is a Gemstone That Represents Love?
Rose quartz is universally known as the gemstone of love. Its gentle pink color embodies unconditional love, compassion, and emotional healing. It is often used to attract and maintain love, foster self-love, and promote inner peace.
What Are Gemstones That Symbolise Luck?
Citrine, known as the "Merchant's Stone," is widely regarded as a gemstone that brings luck and prosperity, even as far back as ancient times. Its bright yellow hue symbolizes joy and abundance, making it a popular stone for attracting financial success and good fortune.
What Gemstones Are Known For Healing Power?
Amethyst is renowned for its healing properties and protective energies. Known as the "Sobriety Stone," it is believed to calm the mind, reduce stress, and promote emotional balance. Amethyst is often used in meditation and healing practices to foster spiritual growth and physical healing.
The Meanings and Symbolism of 25 Popular Gemstones
Let's run through some of the most common precious and semi-precious stones and the various special symbolism they are believed to possess.
Agate
Colors: Black, blue, green, grey, red, white, pink, purple, yellow, orange, brown,
Agate, identifiable by its multi-colored band structure, is known for its grounding and stabilizing properties. It is believed to balance the mind, body, and spirit, promoting inner stability and peace.
Alexandrite
Colors: Blue, green, pink, red, yellow, purple, grey
Alexandrite is famed for its color-changing ability depending on the light. It symbolizes the balance between the physical and spiritual worlds being associated with joy, good fortune, and confidence.
Amethyst
Colors: Purple
The amethyst gemstone is a powerful and protective stone associated by the Ancient Greeks with Dionysus, the God of Wine, which is somewhat a volte-face given that modern thought attributes it with sobriety. It guards against psychic attack, protecting the wearer from harm by transforming negative energy into love.
Ametrine
Colors: Yellow, purple
Ametrine combines the properties of Amethyst and Citrine. It is believed to enhance intelligence and creativity and bring mental clarity by balancing spiritual and physical energies.
Aquamarine
Colors: Greenish blue to blue-green
A form of beryl, aquamarine is a stone of courage and protection. It was used by sailors as a talisman of good luck, fearlessness, and protection.
Beryl
Colors: Green, blue, yellow, pink, red
Other forms of beryl also appear on this list. The stone was believed by the Ancient Mesopotamians to strengthen belief in the gods. Today, crystal healers associate beryl with quite a range of powers including the ability to repel demons, promote marital love, increase happiness, cure laziness, maintain youthfulness, increase sincerity, and even protect travelers from harm.
Citrine
Colors: Yellow, orange, brown
Known as the "healing quartz", Citrine gemstones are known as stones of abundance and manifestation. They encourage fullness of life, fresh beginnings, and new pursuits. In Chinese Feng Shui philosophy, citrines represent wealth and luck.
Diamond
Colors: white (clear), blue, yellow, orange, red, green, pink to purple, brown, grey, and black
Diamonds are the most valuable precious stones. Ancient civilizations believed that diamonds were tears of the gods. Greek and Roman mythology also created the earliest association between diamonds and romantic love with the idea that Cupid's (Eros) arrows had diamond tips. Today, diamonds are symbols of purity and perfection. They represent faithfulness, innocence, and love.
Emerald
Colors: Green
Associated with Venus/Aphrodite, the Roman and Greek goddesses of love, emeralds are stones of love, romance, and truth. In modern crystal theory. the vibrant green stone is believed to bring passion, domestic bliss, and contentment with the power to cure disease and protect against evil spells.
Garnet
Colors: red, orange, pink, green, black, honey brown.
Mostly associated with a vibrant red color, Garnet is another gemstone with associations of ancient civilizations. The Egyptian pharaohs wore garnet necklaces and Greek mythology attributes the source of garnets as being the pomegranate seeds Persephone ate when in the underworld. Garnet is the stone of commitment and represents love. It revitalizes feelings, enhances sexuality, and brings warmth.
Lapis Lazuli
Colors: Blue
The "wisdom stone" with its intense indigo/deep blue color, promotes protection and enlightenment. It opens the mind and enhances intellectual ability. Crystal therapists endow lapis lazuli with healing powers against depression, insomnia, vertigo, and inflammation.
Moissanite
Colors: Colorless, grey, green, gold, brown, blue, purple, pink and yellow
Moissanite is known for its brilliance and this mineral of silicon carbide has grown in popularity as an affordable alternative to diamonds. It symbolizes brilliance and is believed to bring happiness and prosperity.
Morganite
Colors: Pink, orange
Named after American financier J P Morgan, an avid gem collector in the early 20th Century, morganite is another form of beryl. Morganite is a stone of divine and unconditional love. It brings inner peace, healing, compassion, and promise to those who wear it.
Opal
Colors: Black, grey, white, pink, green, red, yellow, orange, brown, blue, purple
Represented in Greek mythology as Zeus's joyful tears after he defeated the Titans, the opal is known for its unique play of rainbow colors. Opal has the widest array of colors in a single gemstone. It is a stone of inspiration, enhancing imagination and creativity. Some schools of thought believe that it is unlucky to wear opals unless it is your birthstone (October). Strong evidence refutes the myths about this beautiful stone found mostly in Australia.
Pearl
Colors: White, black, grey, blue, green, pink, purple, brown, yellow, orange
Believed to be the material first used as a gemstone, pearls have a shimmering beauty. Always associated with chastity in Europe, they also symbolize purity, honesty, wisdom, and integrity. They bring calmness, and focus, and are believed to strengthen relationships.
Peridot
Colors: Green, yellow
There is some belief that the emerald jewelry pictured as adorning Cleopatra were not emeralds but dark green peridots. Ancient Egyptians thought that peridot brought wealth, good luck, and confidence as well as providing protection against nightmares. Today, crystal healers recommend peridot as a stone of compassion. It is believed to bring good health, restful sleep, and peace to relationships by balancing emotions and mind.
Rose Quartz
Colors: Pink
With a special cloudy translucence caused by microscopic mineral inclusions, rose quartz can appear almost white to dark dusky pink. Rose Quartz is the stone of feminine energies evoking romance and sweetness. It restores trust and harmony in relationships, encouraging unconditional love.
Ruby
Colors: Red
More associated with the mythology of the Indin sub-continent than the Greeks, Romans, and Egyptians, rubies were used as offerings to the god Krishna in the hope of being reincarnated as royalty. In modern times, ruby is a stone of nobility and passion. It is believed to inspire motivation and encourage joy and spontaneity.
Sapphire
Colors: Blue, yellow, green, violet, rose, pink, white
Before diamonds took over in the early 20th century, sapphires (particularly blue stones) were the preferred gemstone for engagement rings. Closely associated with royalty (think Diana Princess of Wales's stunning sapphire and diamond ring now worn by Princess Katherine of Wales), sapphire is known as a stone of wisdom. It helps to release mental tension, depression, unwanted thoughts, and spiritual confusion while attracting spiritual clarity and guarding innocence.
Spinel
Colors: Black, brown, orange, yellow, green, blue, red, pink, purple, white
Spinel is a high-energy stone of revitalization and healing. It is believed to bring energy renewal and encouragement in difficult times, promoting joy and hope.
Tanzanite
Colors: Blue, purple
If you believe in the power of healing crystals, Tanzanite is credited with metaphysical properties, enabling it to open the third eye and reach a higher level of consciousness. As well as heightening perception and intuition, transformative tanzanite can also detoxify.
Topaz
Colors: Blue, yellow, white, grey, green, brown, orange, pink, purple, red, green
The variety of colors of topaz means it attracts different theories of its crystal powers by shade. For example, white topaz is a stone of clarity while orange topaz is associated with fire, bringing confidence and good fortune. Blue topaz promotes peacefulness and tranquility. Generically, topaz is believed to bring joy, generosity, abundance, and good health.
Tourmaline
Colors: Black, green, pink, blue, red, white, yellow, purple, brown, orange, grey
Tourmaline is considered to be a stone of positive reconciliation, fostering level-headedness and compassion but it depends on the color. It is recommended by Chinese Feng Shui philosophy to protect a room's energy. In general, it radiates energy that attracts money, healing, and friendship.
Turquoise
Colors: Blue to green
Turquoise has always been ascribed to having special powers. Southwestern Native Americans particularly use it as a protective talisman and ancient Persians wore it to ward off the evil eye. The beautiful stone which ranges from pale duck egg blue to vibrant shades of blue and green brings luck, peace, and protection from negative energy to those who wear it.
Zircon
Colors: White, blue, green, yellow, red, pink, purple, grey, orange, brown
The colorless version of zircon, known as cubic zirconia, has long been used as a diamond simulant. Since the Middle Ages, this gemstone has been thought to drive away evil spirits and protect travelers. It is endowed with grounding properties, bringing physical, emotional, and spiritual balance, and is believed to enhance intuition and insight.
Gemstones are more than just beautiful adornments. They also carry deep meanings and strong symbolic significance for many. Whether you wear them for their aesthetic appeal, purported healing properties, positive energy, or spiritual significance, gemstones can enrich your life in many ways. As you explore the world of gemstones, let their colors, shapes, and energies guide you to discover your favorite gemstone that resonates with your personal journey.
We invite you to browse the collection of Moyen and Co. to enjoy the range of diamond and colorful gemstone jewelry of all types and at all price ranges.
