Coloured Gemstones Guide: Sapphire, Ruby, Emerald and Beyond

Emerald Dreams Set

£80.99

Amethyst Pearl Harmony Necklace

£93.59

Larimar Dreams Studs

£59.39

Heritage Agate Studs

£35.09

Coloured stones from our collection

After years of clear stones and white diamonds dominating, colour is firmly back in jewellery. Coloured gemstones bring personality, meaning and a splash of individuality that a colourless stone simply cannot. This guide walks through the most loved coloured gems — what they are, their colour and their hardness on the Mohs scale (a 1–10 measure of scratch resistance) — so you know what you are looking at and how to care for it.

Sapphire

Sapphire is a variety of the mineral corundum and is best known for its rich blue, though it also comes in pink, yellow, green and even colourless. At 9 on the Mohs scale it is extremely hard — second only to diamond — which makes it an excellent, durable choice for rings worn every day.

Ruby

Ruby is the red form of that same corundum mineral; the red comes from traces of chromium. It shares sapphire's 9 hardness, so it is equally tough. Fine, vivid red rubies are among the most valuable of all gemstones.

Emerald

Emerald is the green member of the beryl family, coloured by chromium and vanadium. It sits around 7.5–8 on the Mohs scale, but most emeralds contain natural internal marks (jewellers call them the "jardin", or garden), which can make them a little more fragile than sapphire or ruby. They deserve gentle handling and are best kept for necklaces and earrings, or rings worn with care.

Amethyst

Amethyst is the purple variety of quartz, ranging from soft lilac to deep violet. At 7 on the Mohs scale it is durable enough for everyday wear and beautifully affordable for its rich colour, which is why it has been prized for centuries.

Aquamarine and turquoise

Aquamarine is the pale blue cousin of emerald (also a beryl), with a fresh, watery colour and good hardness around 7.5–8. Turquoise is a softer, opaque blue-green stone (around 5–6) with a long history in boho and heritage designs; because it is more porous and delicate, it needs protecting from water, oils and knocks.

Softer and organic favourites

Some of the most characterful stones are also the softest. Larimar, a rare blue stone found only in the Dominican Republic, and opal, agate, jade and amber all bring unique patterns and colour — but they generally sit lower on the hardness scale and reward careful wear and storage. There is nothing wrong with a soft stone; it simply asks for a little more mindfulness.

Natural, lab-created or simulated?

Coloured stones on the market fall into three honest categories. Natural stones are mined from the earth. Lab-created stones share the same chemistry and appearance as their natural counterparts but are grown in a laboratory, usually at a much lower price. Simulants such as cubic zirconia imitate the look of a gem in a different material. None is "fake" as long as it is described accurately — what matters is knowing which you are buying. Our own pieces use a mix of natural stones, freshwater pearls and lab-created or cubic zirconia stones, and we state which on each product page.

Whether you are drawn to a birthstone, a favourite colour or simply a stone that catches your eye, coloured gems are a wonderful way to make jewellery feel personal. Match the stone's hardness to how you plan to wear it, and it will bring you colour for years.