| Year |
Gemstone |
Gemstone Information |
| 1 |
Blue Topaz |
Topaz is a silicate of
aluminum containing fluorine and hydroxyl with a hardness of 8. Blue
topaz’s are normally produced by irradiation. |
| 2 |
Coral |
Nature creates Coral in a
wide range of shades and hues from red and white and blue to brown and
black. Most sought are the red shades, ranging from palest petal pink via
salmon to deep velvety red. It has a hardness of only 3.5. |
| 3 |
Peridot |
Sometimes called Olivine. Its
a magnesium iron silicate. Color varies from yellow green to green. The yellowier
type are usually called chrysolite. Peridot is not resistant to sulphuric
acid and may become damaged upon contact |
| 4 |
Amethyst |
Is in the quartz
family, composed of silicon dioxide, has a hardness of 7. Amethyst is violet
and is sometimes referred to as purple quartz. |
| 5 |
Rhodolite/Garnet |
Garnets are a group of many
differently colored minerals with similar chemical composition mainly
containing a silicate of magnesium, iron, and/or aluminum. The hardness
varies depending upon the variety from 6-1/2 to 7-1/2. |
| 6 |
Lapis Lazuli |
It was one of the first
stones ever to be used and worn for jewelry. Lapis lazuli is an opaque stone
consisting mainly of Diopside and Lasurite. The small twinkling and shining
inclusions are not gold but Pyrite. It has a hardness of 5 to 6. |
| 7 |
Zircon |
Zircon is a silicate of
zirconium sometimes containing radioactive thorium and/or uranium. Its
hardness ranges from 6-1/2 to 7-1/2. Brown is the most common color but can
be colorless or red, green, blue, and yellow. Electric blue stones are
the most valuable of this group. |
| 8 |
Pearl |
Known as the “Queen of
Gems.” Natural pearls are very rare. cultured pearls come in many
different shapes and colors. Cultured pearls are softer than most gemstones |
| 9 |
Andalusite |
Is pleochroic, producing
different colors in different directions. Cutters try to orient the gem to
get a pleasing mix of colors: orangey brown and a yellowish green or gold. |
| 10 |
Green Tourmaline |
Mainly composed of aluminum
borate silicate and with a hardness of 7 to 7-1/2. There are many color
varieties. Verdelite comes in all shades of green and is the most common of
all cut tourmalines. Emerald green is the most valuable. |
| 11 |
Spinel |
Spinels are made of magnesium
aluminum oxide with a hardness of 8. Colors can vary from red to pink,
violet red to a pale lilac, violet blue, or a blue to black. |
| 12 |
Tsavorite Garnet |
Garnets are a group of many
differently colored minerals with similar chemical composition mainly
containing a silicate of magnesium, iron, and/or aluminum. Tsavorite is the
brilliant green version. |
| 13 |
Opal |
There are over 100 different
variety and trade names used today to describe opals. Opals with a lighter
body color are often called white opals, and those with a darker (and more
rare) body color are classified as black opals. |
| 14 |
Kunzite |
Spodumenes are a lithium
aluminum silicate, having a hardness of 6 to 7, and comes in two varieties.
Kunzite is the pink to violet color variety of this group. |
| 15 |
Blue Sapphire |
A corundum having a
composition of aluminum oxide. This group, consisting of rubies and
sapphires, are the hardest of all known colored stones outside of diamonds.
Only the red color is reserved for ruby, all other colors belong to sapphire
including pink and reddish pink |
| 16 |
Topaz |
Topaz is a silicate of
aluminum containing fluorine and hydroxyl with a hardness of 8. Blue is the
most familiar but it also comes in colors like pink, violet pink, yellow,
and colorless (sometimes called silver topaz). |
| 17 |
Rubellite Tourmaline |
Mainly composed of aluminum
borate silicate and with a hardness of 7 to 7-1/2. There are many color
varieties. Rubellite varies from pink to red |
| 18 |
Aquamarine |
A member of the beryl family
composed of aluminum beryllium silicate with a hardness of 7-1/2 to 8.
Aquamarines are light blue to dark blue or blue-gree, deep blue is the most
desirable color. |
| 19 |
Golden Beryl |
A member of the beryl family
composed of aluminum beryllium silicate with a hardness of 7-1/2 to 8.
Golden beryl is a lemon yellow to a golden yellow variety |
| 20-24 |
Emerald |
A member of the beryl family
composed of aluminum beryllium silicate with a hardness of 7-1/2 to 8.
Emerald is a well known variety that comes in the colors of emerald green,
light green, yellow green, and dark green. |
| 25-29 |
Jade |
Since at least 2950 BC, jade
has been treasured in China as the royal gemstone. The ancient jade carved
in China was what we today call nephrite jade: an amphibolite mineral. The
mineral from Central America, a pyroxene, was called jadeite to distinguish
it. Jadeite jade is usually cut into smooth dome shapes called cabochons. |
| 30-34 |
Fancy Sapphire |
A corundum having a
composition of aluminum oxide. This group, consisting of rubies and
sapphires, are the hardest of all known colored stones outside of diamonds.
Only the red color is reserved for ruby, all other colors belong to sapphire
including pink and reddish pink |
| 35-39 |
Cat's Eye Chysoberyl |
Chrysoberyls are usually made
of beryllium aluminum oxide and have a hardness of 8-1/2. The most
common color is golden yellow to greenish yellow. The name comes from the
distinct band of light across its face which sweeps from side to side making
it look like a cat's eye. |
| 40-44 |
Ruby |
Is a corundum having a
composition of aluminum oxide. This group, consisting of rubies and
sapphires, are the hardest of all known colored stones outside of diamonds.
The most valuable is ruby. Only the red color is reserved for ruby. |
| 45-49 |
Tanzanite |
A blue zoisite composed of
calcium aluminum silicate with a hardness of 6-1/2 to 7. The same stone can
display three different colors, each from a different direction, a
characteristic is called pleochroism. |
| 50-54 |
Golden Sapphire |
A corundum having a
composition of aluminum oxide. This group, consisting of rubies and
sapphires, are the hardest of all known colored stones outside of diamonds.
Only the red color is reserved for ruby, all other colors belong to sapphire
including pink and reddish pink |
| 55-59 |
Alexandrite |
Chrysoberyls are usually made
of beryllium aluminum oxide and have a hardness of 8-1/2. Alexandrite
is a very rare stone and has the ability to change color usually from a
greenish color in sunlight or florescent light to a reddish color under
candlelight, incandescent, or tungsten light. |
| 60 |
Diamond |
The hardest substance on
earth. They are more brilliant than any other natural gem. Their sparkling
fire, durability, and rarity make them the most prized of gems. They come in
colorless to expensive pale pinks and blues, pale to bright yellows,
oranges, greens, and brown colors now being called names like cognac and
champagne. |
