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Semi-precious gemstones can make some of the most attractive jewellery. Gemstones are actually minerals, these are petrified substances or rocks which have been cut and then polished to be suitable for making jewellery.

Some gemstones are fairly rare, such as amazonite, which is a bright green variety of feldspar. Formerly it was obtained almost exclusively from Russia, but recently it was found in Colorado and Madagascar. Its limited occurrence makes it prized as a gemstone.

Citrin, also known as citrin quartz, is a gemstone which is amber in colour.

Aventurine is a gemstone which is usually coloured green, but it can also come in other colours such as yellow, grey, brown and orange. It also comes in red on rare occasions and this colour is the most sought-after.

Cordierite is an aluminium, magnesium and iron cyclosilicate. When transparent it is a gemstone called iolite, named after the Greek word for violet.

Lapis lazuli is a stone which has been classified as a gemstone. This deep blue gemstone dates back to the pharaohs of ancient Egypt.

Jade is an interesting gemstone. The name is applied to two different silicate materials. It is a very tough material and was first used for axe heads, knives and weapons. It was only when other materials were found that could be used for these purposes that jade become a prized gemstone. Nephrite is either green or creamy in color, while jadeite comes in a variety of colors. In New Zealand, where nephrite jade is known as greenstone and not gemstone, the Maoris consider it a treasure. In traditional Maori designs, this gemstone is still widely used to make jewelry. Jade is the official gemstone of British Columbia. Many minerals are sold as jade. These can certainly be used as gemstones, but are not the real thing.

Turquoise is another gem and ornamental stone. The name is a very old word , probably derived from the French meaning Turkish stone, although turquoise was not found in Turkey, but was traded there. Iran and the Sinai Peninsula were sources of very fine turquoise. In the United States, the deposits were mined by pre-Columbian Native Americans. Nowadays there is some imitation turquoise, which is so good, that only an expert could tell the difference between the real stone and the fake!

It’s possible that rings and bracelets and necklaces made with these semi-precious gemstones may not be as valuable as say, gold or diamonds, but they can be exquisite and highly prized.

Get information about emeralds and emerald rings at Sarah Carter’s site Emerald Rings Guide. You can read facts on antique emerald rings.