Comparisonsmaster
The Most Affordable Gemstones
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However, there are many other types of gemstones that are beautiful and can be made into very nice jewelry pieces, but cost much less than the “precious” category of gems such as diamonds. Most of these gemstones are referred to as being “semi-precious”. Choosing the best of these gemstones to include in jewelry pieces can be a little challenging since many factors have to be taken into consideration:
– Hardness: The higher the ranking on the Mohs hardness scale, the higher the durability of a gem and thus its desirability. No surprise, diamonds
rank the highest on this scale at ‘10’, making them completely scratch and damage free.
– Light: How a stone both reflects and refracts light is what gives its visual appeal, again with diamonds being one of the champs in this area.
However, many semi-precious gems, especially if skillfully cut, can be quite dazzling to the eye. Another dynamic is if exposure to light can actually
diminish the gemstones appearance, which happens to some inferior gemstones.
– Rarity: Based mostly on supply and demand – the more rare a gemstone is, the higher its price and vice versa. However, high demand due to popularity can increase a gemstone’s price, regardless of available supply.
Below is a list of the most affordable gemstones that are suitable for use in jewelry.
However, there are many other types of gemstones that are beautiful and can be made into very nice jewelry pieces, but cost much less than the “precious” category of gems such as diamonds. Most of these gemstones are referred to as being “semi-precious”. Choosing the best of these gemstones to include in jewelry pieces can be a little challenging since many factors have to be taken into consideration:
– Hardness: The higher the ranking on the Mohs hardness scale, the higher the durability of a gem and thus its desirability. No surprise, diamonds
rank the highest on this scale at ‘10’, making them completely scratch and damage free.
– Light: How a stone both reflects and refracts light is what gives its visual appeal, again with diamonds being one of the champs in this area.
However, many semi-precious gems, especially if skillfully cut, can be quite dazzling to the eye. Another dynamic is if exposure to light can actually
diminish the gemstones appearance, which happens to some inferior gemstones.
– Rarity: Based mostly on supply and demand – the more rare a gemstone is, the higher its price and vice versa. However, high demand due to
popularity can increase a gemstone’s price, regardless of available supply.
Below is a list of the most affordable gemstones that are suitable for use in jewelry.
Amethyst
This gemstone, which is usually a vibrant purple in color, is widely available – but also very popular. Therefore, better cuts of this gemstone can get somewhat expensive. Amethyst gems are part of the quartz family and have been used as jewelry all the way back to ancient Greece. Some believe that this gemstone can act as a tranquilizer when it is worn. Amethyst has a hardness rating of 7 on the Mohs scale.
Agate
Another quartz gemstone, it comes in a wide variety of colors, including white, red, gray, pink, black, brown, and yellow. Agate also has a hardness rating of 7 on the Mohs scale.
Tourmaline
In addition to coming in a variety of brilliant colors, tourmaline also comes in different shapes. It has a hardness of 7-7.5 on the Mohs scale, making this gemstone durable and long-lasting, especially if properly cared for. If this gemstone is well cut, it will have a brilliant sparkle and more value.
Turquoise
Beautiful in its appearance and fairly popular. However, Turquoise has a hardness rating on the Mohs scale of 5-6, making it comparatively less durable than other stones.
Tiger’s Eye
Usually has a brownish-pink shade with a glossy appearance, but it is found in various other colors as well. It is also known for its smooth texture. Tiger’s Eye has a rating of 7 on the Mohs hardness scale, which means that it is fairly durable.
Citrine
This gemstone is usually made of amethyst, heated to form the yellow-orange color of citrine. It has colors varying from yellow-orange tones to deep red-orange tones. Citrine has a hardness of 7 on the Mohs scale and a pretty low per-carat price, usually making it affordable
Garnet
Popular for its vivid red color, garnet is found in many other colors as well. Although they have a hardness between 6.5 and 7.5, they tend to get scratched.
Onyx
This popular gemstone is different due to its natural black color. It can be dyed with other colors, but most people use it in the natural black color. It is a widely available gemstone and usually affordable. Onyx has a hardness of 7, which makes it pretty durable.
Rose Quartz
Popular for its vibrant pink color, this gemstone is also known as the “stone of love”. Rose quartz also typically has inclusions that appear like white veins. Due to an abundant supply, this gemstone is usually very affordable. It has a hardness rating of 7, making it durable.
