Gemstones Guide

From Rough to Polished: The Ultimate Gemstone Guide

Welcome to our comprehensive visual and market guide for 20 of the world’s most sought-after precious materials. Below, you can see the incredible transformation these stones undergo from their raw, natural state to a precisely faceted final cut.

Understanding Carat Weight & Pricing: In the gemstone market, there is no strict “minimum” or “maximum” carat weight. Stones can be cut into tiny fractions of a carat (melee) or left as massive museum specimens. One carat is exactly 200 milligrams. For rare gems, the price per carat increases exponentially with size—meaning a 2-carat stone often costs much more than double the price of a 1-carat stone.

Market Value Breakdown

#	Material	Approximate Value (USD)	Sizing & Pricing Notes
1	Ruby	$4,625 per carat	Price increases exponentially with size; color (e.g., “pigeon’s blood”) is the dominant value driver.
2	Gold (Nugget)	Priced by purity/weight	Gold is measured in karats (purity) and grams/ounces, rather than gem carats.
3	Diamond	$4,500 – $6,000 per carat	Highly dependent on the 4Cs; per-carat price increases exponentially as the gem size increases.
4	Emerald	$500 – $1,100 per carat	Emeralds are less dense than rubies, so a 1-carat emerald will appear physically larger than a 1-carat ruby.
5	Sapphire	$450 – $1,600 per carat	Clean, large stones in rich cornflower blue command premium per-carat prices.
6	Amethyst	$15 – $100 per carat	A more affordable gemstone; value is driven by depth of color.
7	Topaz	Varies widely by type	Imperial Topaz is rare and highly valued, while standard blue topaz is much more abundant.
8	Aquamarine	$100 – $200 per carat	Generally more affordable than precious gemstones, varying by color saturation.
9	Opal	$60 – $100 per carat	Classified as an affordable gemstone; price depends heavily on the play-of-color.
10	Garnet	Varies by variety	Varieties like Tsavorite command extremely high prices due to their superior characteristics and rarity.
11	Peridot	$50 – $80 per carat	Known for its olive-green color; priced as an affordable gemstone.
12	Tourmaline	Varies by variety	Rubellite and watermelon tourmaline often exhibit visible inclusions but are still highly valued.
13	Tanzanite	Highly variable premium	Commands high prices due to single-source origin (Tanzania), despite a lower Mohs hardness of 6.5.
14	Spinel	$200 – $500 per carat	Commands high prices for superior characteristics; a highly valuable alternative to ruby or sapphire.
15	Morganite	Varies by cut/clarity	Price relies on clarity and carat weight; larger stones allow for better pastel color saturation.
16	Zircon	Varies widely	High-end retail pieces featuring Zircon can range from $4,238 to $6,359 depending on setting/size.
17	Jade	$10 – $100,000+ per ct	Extremely massive variance; “Imperial Jade” commands the absolute top of the market.
18	Turquoise	$10 – $100 per carat	Affordable, opaque stone; typically cut into cabochons rather than faceted.
19	Moonstone	Varies by cut/clarity	Price is driven by the visual effect (adularescence) and quality of the cabochon cut.
20	Quartz	$8 – $65 per carat	Abundant globally. The price per carat remains fairly constant even as the weight of the stone increases.