The 4 C's of Gemstones

Buying a gemstone is often a very different experience than buying a diamond. Gemstones are bought based on favorite colors, wardrobe matches, personality, and fashion trends. While gemstones are judged using the 4Cs, just as diamonds do, each is judged separately. For example, a sapphire is compared to another sapphire, but wouldn't be compared to an emerald or aquamarine. Choose your gemstone jewelry based on your personal preferences.

Shape

S.E. Needham Jewelers sells a number of different shaped gemstone jewelry. Some of our most popular shapes include round, marquise, oval, pear, princess, and baguette. 

Cut

Gems are cut in a variety of different ways. Transparent stones will often be cut with facets. Unlike diamonds, the facets are planned to maximize the color. Other stones like jade, opal, and onyx will be cut into a smooth domed shape known as a cabochon. While still other stones like cameos are intricately carved.

Color

Gemstone color is different from judging the color of a diamond. Every gemstone has a range of color that runs from light to dark and more vivid to less vivid, with a small range of color considered preferable. All of the families of color are represented by gems of different types.

 

Red  Mozambique, Garnet, Ruby, Pink Rhodolite, Garnet, Pink Sapphire   Yellow Yellow Sapphire, Citrine   Green Bloodstone, Emerald, Jade, Peridot   Blue Aquamarine, Blue Chalcedony, Blue Spinel, Blue Zircon, Lapis, Blue Sapphire

Purple Amethyst, Tanzanite   White Akoya Pearl, Freshwater Pearl, Mabe Pearl, South Sea Pearl, White Spinel, White Topaz, Moissanite, Opal   Brown Smoky Quartz   Black/Gray Tahitian Pearl, Onyx

 

Clarity

Carat Weight