Colors and Shapes for All Seasons
The colors of gemstones are as varied as flowers - but infinitely more lasting. In planning your jewelry wardrobe, it is helpful to understand what options are available. While most people are familiar with the red ruby, green emerald and blue sapphire, many people are delighted to learn that many gemstones occur in a diverse range of colors.
The following section will introduce you to the rainbow of hues available when selecting your colored gemstones. Just as a landscape artist will mix and match vibrant hues of flowers that best complement your home, you can pick and choose from a vast array of hues to decide which gemstone best suits your unique taste, personality and sense of fashion.
While the colors represented here reflect the hues available in the different gemstones, understand that they are representations only. Each gemstone is a work of art - unique in its beauty. Not only can colors vary widely, but so will their tonal qualities, from light to dark. Once you have decided which colors are best for you, ask your jeweler to explain quality, availability and price.
Gemstones are cut in a variety of different shapes which are usually determined by the shapes of their rough crystals. Many are also "calibrated" or cut to a consistent dimension so they are able to fit in a number of different jewelry mountings. Here the some of the more popular gemstones shapes.
