Gem Buying Guides

Your next plate of steamed clams might hold a rare quahog pearl. Learn how to judge the quality of these purple pearls before your next trip to New…

Bright orange colors and flames that seem to dance across the surface make the melo pearl a fascinating gem choice. Learn how to find a quality specimen.…

Clam pearls can grow to be some of the largest in the world. Learn more about these aquatic gems and how to buy a top-quality tridacna pearl of your…

If you’re trying to create an ethical engagement ring, you have some research ahead. Our guide can help you shop for ethically sourced gemstones…

Rare malaya garnets come in many colors and make wonderful jewelry stones for any style. Learn the 4Cs of this gem in our malaya garnet buying guide.…

Looking for a fun summertime gem? Watermelon tourmaline adds a pop of color that’s perfect for a playful summer look. Learn about the quality factors…

Padparadscha sapphires get their name from the Sinhalese word for “lotus colored.” This rare and elusive gem generates some debate among…

Considering a conch pearl buying trip to the Caribbean? Quality factors for these gems differ from colored gemstones. Before you make a purchase,…

With bright, apple-green hues, chrysoprase makes an attractive, eye-catching jewelry stone. If you’re looking for a top-quality gem, read…

With bright rainbow iridescence, ammolite is sure to draw attention. Read about this gem’s unique quality factors before your next ammolite…

Silky golden rutile inclusions in quartz have become quite popular. Read our rutilated quartz buying guide to help you choose a stone for your next…

Soft, violet-blue hues have made iolite a popular stone. Read about the quality factors for this trendy gem in our iolite buying guide.

Paraíba’s neon blue hues stunned the gem world in the 1980s. Read about the quality factors for this striking gem in our paraíba tourmaline…

Stunning green hues and a brilliance that outshines diamond combine to make demantoids truly captivating. Read more in our demantoid garnet buying…

Citrine’s affordable autumn hues make it a great option for trendy jewelry. Read about the quality factors for this stylish gem in our citrine…

Rare and fragile, kunzite challenges lapidaries and delights jewelry aficionados. Our kunzite buying guide can help you add this gem to your collection.…

One of the earliest known gems, amber’s bright sunshine hues delight and enthrall. Learn more about this ancient gem’s qualities in our amber…

Although often overlooked, quartz is available in many styles at reasonable prices. Our crystalline quartz buying guide can help you pick your…

Deep-water coral displays bright, rich reds and delicate pinks. Our precious coral buying guide will help you choose a gem for your next jewelry…

With sheen reminiscent of moonlight, moonstone is treasured across civilizations. Our moonstone buying guide can help you pick a gem for your…

Known for stunning, saturated hues, tourmaline is a colorful and modern gemstone. Read about quality factors for this gem in our tourmaline buying…

“The Stone of Heaven,” jade has an unmatched elegance. Learn more about the unique quality factors of both jadeite and nephrite in our jade…

Long valued for its brilliance, zircon is a natural and affordable beauty. Learn more about the quality factors for this gem in our zircon buying…

Decorative, patterned forms of agate are excellent natural gems. Learn more about agate’s mesmerizing patterns in our agate buying guide.

With so many colors and varieties available, garnet buying can be daunting. Whether starting your collection or completing it, our guide can help.…

More than just a simulant for sapphire, tanzanite’s vivid hues have stunned the gem world. Our tanzanite buying guide can help you find a gem you’ll…

Revered for millennia, sky blue turquoise still has a dedicated following. Our turquoise buying guide can help you pick a gem for your next jewelry…

Vivid color change makes alexandrite one of the world’s most coveted stones. Our alexandrite buying guide can help you find the best gem for your…

In this golden age of pearls, a wide variety of shapes, sizes, and colors are available. Our pearl buying guide can help you select a pearl you’ll…

No gem evokes the blue-green colors of the sea like aquamarine. Our aquamarine buying guide can help you choose the best gemstone for your jewelry…

Morganite has become a popular jewelry stone, especially for engagement rings. Our morganite buying guide can help you pick a great gem for any…

Long valued for its purple color and symbolic associations, amethyst is a versatile gem. Our amethyst buying guide can help you pick an excellent…

Our lapis lazuli buying guide can help you learn how to grade these gems, what to avoid, and how to identify a high quality stone or a bargain in the…

Our emerald buying guide can help you learn how these gems are graded, what to avoid, and how to identify a high quality stone or a bargain in the rough.…

Our peridot buying guide can help you learn how these gems are graded, what to avoid, and how to identify a high quality stone or a bargain in the rough.…

Our sphalerite buying guide can help you learn how these gems are graded, what to avoid, and how to identify a high quality stone or a bargain in the…

Our Oregon sunstone buying guide can help you learn how these gems are graded and how to identify a high quality stone or a bargain in the rough.

Our spinel buying guide can help you learn how spinels are graded, what to avoid, and how to identify a high quality stone or a bargain in the rough.…

Our opal buying guide can help you learn how opals are graded, what to avoid, and how to identify a high quality stone or a bargain in the rough.

Our topaz buying guide can help you learn how topazes are graded, what to avoid, and how to identify a high-quality stone or a bargain in the rough.…

Long associated with royalty, sapphires are some of the most popular (and expensive) gems in the world. Our sapphire buying guide will help you…

Our ruby buying guide can help you learn how rubies are graded, what to avoid, and how to identify a high quality stone or a bargain in the rough.

Rare chrome tourmaline can show an emerald-like green color. With a highly desired color and tourmaline’s excellent qualities as a jewelry stone,…

Looking for a tourmaline jewelry stone? If you like green and you’re on a budget, green tourmaline or verdelite is the gem for you.

Our indicolite buying guide can help you learn how these blue tourmalines are graded, what to avoid, and how to identify a high-quality stone.

Like all tourmaline gemstones, rubellite wears well in almost any type of jewelry. This stone’s raspberry-like color draws a great deal of attention.…

First-time gem buyers may find diamond grades confusing. Our consumer guide explains how diamonds are evaluated and gives advice on how to choose…