What Are The Different Types Of Precious Stones

There is only one group of people which has no special value for precious stones and one can call them ‘the enlightened cult’. This group comprises of Buddha, Zarathustra, Jesus and Mahaveera and more such people. For others, who want to swing happily in the material pleasures of the life, Diamond, Ruby and emerald are not just stones. They may call these stones the highest achievement of their life if they possess them and countries even fought wars for them. It would be interesting to know that these stones are used in a spiritual sense too. People wear them to magnify their luck, taking their birth date in consideration. A large variety of precious stones are available in the jewelry shops which keep on increasing their rate every year. Let us have a look at various types of precious stones.

Diamonds
Diamonds are always at the top of the list of precious stones. They are the most highly prized and coveted precious stones. There are many references for diamonds in history and historical fiction. There are hundreds of best seller novels and block buster films which have the diamond heist as the main plot. Diamond jewelries are favored by people all over the world and the dictatorial rule of diamonds never ends when it comes to wedding rings. Diamond is the birthstone for folks who are born in the month of April. Diamond is the only one precious stone that has a universally accepted grading system. It can be naturally occurring or artificially made. 

Ruby
For people who are born in July, this beautiful pink to red bloodstone is the birthstone. Ruby is usually formed when the mineral corundum combined with chromium. In case of ruby, the natural impurities add to the value. The price of the ruby is determined by its color - pigeon blood red ruby is the most valuable one. Ruby is the second hardest precious stone, which is slightly less durable than the diamond. 

Emerald
The green stone emerald is produced when the mineral beryl is combined with chromium and vanadium in the earth. Emerald also has impurities in their depth that add to the overall value of it. The inner light and reflective ability of this stone make it truly unique. The price of this stone depends upon its clarity and color. Deeper green to greenish blue emerald stones have the highest value in the market.

Sapphire
Sapphire is made from the same minerals as rubies but the different ratio of formation makes it different from ruby and gives it the blue color. The Sapphire is a hard stone, which is used in various kinds of application other than mere jewelry. Sapphires are available in many different colors such as yellow, green, orange, purple etc but these colors are not very common.

Pearl
Pearls are known as the classic feminine ornamentation. It is believed that pearls can promote integrity, loyalty, and concentration. People also wear it to represent their wealth. Natural pearls are created in mollusks and they are found mostly in Persian Gulf and are known as oriental pearl. Pearl is the official birthstone of people who are born in the month of June. There are basically nine different types of pearls in the world. They are natural pearls, cultured pearls, baroque pearls, biwa pearls, blister pearls, black pearls, seed pearls, mabe pearls and fresh water pearls.

Opal
Opal is the birthstone of people who are born in the month of October. The prime and rich source of Opal in the world is Australia. The most precious opal is known as black opal and it is only found in Australia. It is often called as 'the queen of gems’. Opals are formed in the cavities of rock, often in sedimentary rocks. Silica is the prime mineral, which causes the formation of Opal. Opal is classified according to its body color as White opal, black opal, fire opals, crystal opals, and water opals.