What Are The Four Precious Stones?

Customers typically have a notion of the gemstone they want before they enter the store. The perfect diamond engagement ring, for example, or a magnificent sapphire necklace may be what they're looking for.

It's easy to lose sight of precious gemstones' infinite variety and extraordinary individuality. It's easy to discover a truly unique stone to complement your handcrafted jewellery, thanks to the wide availability of a dazzling spectrum of hues.

Four of the world's most valuable and sought-after gemstones are diamonds, rubies, sapphires, and emeralds. Here are some interesting tidbits and qualities about these four glittering stones for those shopping for a stunning engagement ring.

A magnificent gemstone symbolises your love. It is helpful to be familiar with the symbolic and functional associations associated with certain rocks to decide what you want your one-of-a-kind piece of jewellery to convey.

What Are “Precious Stones”?

Four gems are referred to as precious stones: emeralds, sapphires, rubies, and diamonds. Precious stones, like those in the accompanying image, are typically transparent and faceted.

Four stones stand out among the so-called "valuable stones": diamonds, rubies, emeralds, and sapphires. A pearl, an opal, or jade may occasionally be listed as an expensive gemstone, but they are often regarded as semi-precious. These four precious stones have historically been the most expensive and sought-after gems.

Some have included opals, jades, and pearls in the "precious stones" list, " although they haven't been used frequently or consistently.

Many people believe that "precious stones" are more significant and valuable than "semi-precious stones" as a result of the distinction between "precious" and "semi-precious" classifications of stones.

The fact that semi-precious stones frequently cost more per carat than diamonds, rubies, sapphires, and emeralds lends significant support to this idea. Nearly 98 per cent of the imports of gemstones for human consumption are precious stones.

Diamond – The Forever Gem

Diamond's famed physical properties are primarily attributable to the intense covalent bonding between its atomic constituents. It is the most complex and thermally conductive substance that can be purchased in large quantities. Natural diamonds often range in age from a billion to three and a half thousand years. Most were formed in the Earth's mantle between 150 and 250 kilometres (93 and 155 miles) down. However, a few have come from as deep as 800 kilometres (500 mi) (500 mi). Marketing has considerably altered the image of the diamond as a valuable product.

However, there is a common misconception that diamonds are indestructible. That is not the case. A diamond’s crystal structure has ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ directions. In exact order, a hit of sufficient force can crack, chip, split or even shatter a diamond. Tourists and rock hounds can participate in a "dig for fee" diamond mining operation at Arkansas's Crater of Diamonds State Park. A total of 74,000 people visit the park each year. About one out of 100 visitors find a diamond.

Diamonds imply lifelong love, which is why they’re most typically given as engagement and wedding bands. Diamonds that transcend the ‘z-light yellow’ grading on the diamond colour scale are dubbed fancy yellow diamonds. Fancy yellow diamonds are scarce and often cost more than colourless diamonds. Because of their rarity, they’ve become a symbol of Originality.

Cutting or scratching a diamond with anything other than another diamond is impossible. Its name originates from the ancient Greek adámas meaning “unbreakable”. No gemstone on the globe contains as much attraction and curiosity as a Diamond.

Possessing the highest brightness of all transparent gemstones, the way diamonds reflect light is without match. It is a rare, beautiful, and strong symbol of the durability and longevity of marriage.

A diamond has four characteristics: clarity, cut, colour and carat, known as the “4 Cs”. Diamond prices vary widely depending on various factors.

The diamond is the month of April's birthstone and the 60th wedding anniversary stone.

Sapphire – The Prosperity Gem

Sapphires are the next hardest gemstone after diamonds. In their purest form, sapphires are colourless, but small amounts of titanium and iron give them their distinctive velvety blue hue. Fancies are any sapphire that is not blue.

While Ruby is the kind of Corundum that comes in red colour, Sapphire comes in every other hue. Physically and chemically, it is pretty close to Ruby. Although blue is the most common colour for sapphires, different colours, including green, orange, pink, grey, colourless, black, brown, and purple, are not uncommon. Unless a prefix colour is added to the word, "Sapphire" in its everyday use only refers to blue sapphire. In the jewellery industry, a sapphire of any hue other than blue is classified as "Fancy." Sapphires are precious diamonds that represent peace, friendship, and loyalty.

The blue gemstone sapphire is the rarest and most valuable of all stones. Colour, hardness, durability, and brilliance combine to make it the most sought-after gemstone. This gem's worth is established by its dimensions, hue, and clarity. There aren't many places where you can find high-quality sapphire among the world's gemstone mines. To get the most excellent possible colour when cutting this gemstone, the cutter must have much knowledge and be able to manipulate the raw crystals' orientation.

Sapphires can be found in many different tones and shapes. This gem has been dubbed the "stone of prosperity" for a good reason. The royal family engagement ring features a 12-carat oval blue Ceylon sapphire, making it the most well-known sapphire in the world. It was first worn by Lady Diana Spencer and is now a favourite of Kate Middleton's. Its calming effects are well-documented, and its use is often recommended for those seeking mental relaxation.

Once belonging to Diana, Princess of Wales, and now adorning Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, is a 12-carat Blue Sapphire.

September birthdays and 55th wedding anniversaries are both associated with sapphire.

Emerald – The Original Royal

Emerald is a valuable stone that represents rejuvenation and hope because of its vibrant green colour and transparent depth of colour that only a select few gems can match.

The emerald is a stunning and intriguing jewel. Green chromium and sometimes vanadium atoms in minute quantities give emerald its value as a precious gemstone. The Mohs scale of mineral hardness places beryl between 7.5 and 8. The crystals are typically between 2 and 5 centimetres in length and 1 and 1.5 centimetres in breadth. Typically, semi transparent to opaque, larger crystals are the norm.

Preferring a slightly bluish-green hue in a medium-dark tone with strong to vivid saturation is the best option. While clarity is vital, this gem can tolerate inclusions better than almost any other. Certified natural and untreated stones can command up to 50% more than their treated counterparts of the same size, colour, and clarity.

The emerald gemstone's calming qualities are well-known. An emerald ring is a symbol of self-effacing maturity in a couple's relationship. An engagement ring of such luxury would be a statement of undeniable devotion. It was formerly thought that emeralds might assist infertile couples in conceiving. This beautiful gem is a representation of rebirth and optimism.

Compared to other gemstones, none have the same appealing green colour as this one. The green emerald, together with the diamond and the sapphire and the ruby, is one of the "big four," or most precious jewels. Most people prefer emeralds that range from bluish green to pure green, with high saturation and a moderately light tone. The most valuable emeralds are exceptionally see-through.

The emerald is the 20th-anniversary gemstone and the May birthstone.

Ruby – The Romantic Gem

Ruby is the second most desirable gemstone, after diamond, due to its rarity, uniqueness, and high price.

Ruby is well-known for its brilliant red colour and vivid shine; it is a kind of the corundum family of gemstones. Ruby, with its hue associated with passion and attraction, is the perfect romantic present for a woman who is head over heels in.

The mineral corundum, of which both ruby and sapphire are varieties, is one of the hardest on Earth. Since corundum crystallises in the hexagonal system, alumina is the crystalline form of alumina; ruby's red colour comes from a trace amount of chromic oxide. All other colours of corundum are called sapphires, and only the red kind can be called a ruby. Pigeon's blood red, also called blood red, is the most desirable shade.

Colour, cut, and clarity, in addition to a carat weight, establish a ruby's quality and worth. Blood-red, or pigeon blood, rubies are the rarest and most expensive because of their intense colour and rarity.

Many people wear jewellery with ruby stones since it is their birthstone. As a bonus, it also has a reputation for providing a measure of safety and prosperity. The most desirable shade of ruby is a vivid red with a blue undertone. It is common to offer a ruby as a token of undying love and devotion because of the stone's reputation for igniting one's ardour and loyalty.

When selecting the perfect loose sapphire or another gemstone, our knowledgeable and unbiased gemstone experts are here to help! A trip to the Padis Jewellery showroom is a great place to begin.

Red rubies, like blue sapphires, are the hardest and brightest gemstones next to diamonds. Large, transparent rubies are even more unusual than larger, more common gems like diamonds and sapphires.

When celebrating a milestone anniversary, especially 40 years of marriage, rubies are the traditional gift.