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What Are Semi-Precious Stones? Most Popular Gemstones and Gemstone Colors

There is a range of gemstones that fall into the category of semi-precious gemstones, each gemstone is beautiful and highly valuable in its own way. While not as rare or pricey as precious gems, these semi-precious stones still add stunning value.


Semi-precious gemstones such as citrine, gold tiger's eye, red jasper, and carnelian agate are examples of semi-precious gems that make great semi-precious gemstones that stand up well against wear and tear.


what are semi-precious gemstones
Beautiful semi-precious gemstone nuggets

Most Popular Gemstone Colors


  • Blue

  • Red

  • Green

  • Brown

  • Black

  • White

  • Yellow

  • Orange

  • Purple

  • Gray

  • Transparent


Blue Semi-Precious Gemstones


Blue gemstones come in an assortment of hues and styles, from more affordable lapis lazuli with its golden flecks to the rarer tanzanite and benitoite varieties.


Blue sapphire is perhaps the most widely recognized among them - a popular choice for engagement rings thanks to its durability and deep, mysterious hue. There are also plenty of exquisite semi-precious blue gems such as aquamarine, azurite, and blue lace agate that also fall under the blue gemstone category.


List of Blue Semi-Precious Gemstones


  • Tanzanite

  • Benitoite

  • Aquamarine

  • Azurite

  • Blue Lace Agate

  • Iolite

  • Lapis Lazuli

  • Blue Topaz

  • Blue Peruvian Opal

  • Dumortierite

  • Blue Zircon

  • Blue Tourmaline


Black Semi-Precious Gemstones


Black semi-precious gemstones are not as popular as the others, but there are some beautiful black gemstones that are used in making jewelry. These black stones are usually sold as beads or cabochons, not so much as a faceted gemstone, however, it is possible to find those as well.


List of Black Semi-Precious Gemstones


  • Black Onyx

  • Black Pearl

  • Black Spinel

  • Black Tourmaline

  • Black Jet

  • Black Obsidian


Orange Gemstones


Orange gemstones make a striking addition to any jewelry collection, from light citrusy yellow-orange hues to deep caramel and rust tones, orange stones offer versatile beauty that pairs beautifully with a range of metals and color palettes.


orange semi-precious gemstones
Orange-red carnelian gemstone cabochons

No matter which metal is chosen though, be mindful that orange gems may not be as hard-wearing and require additional care due to being fragile gems that are easily damaged by chemicals or extreme temperatures.


Below are the most popular orange semi-precious gemstones available on the market. The most popular orange gemstones can vary depending on the culture and region.


List of Orange Semi-Precious Gemstones


  • Spessartite Garnet

  • Citrine

  • Mexican Fire Opal

  • Imperial Topaz

  • Orange Zircon

  • Orange Amber

  • Orange Moonstone

  • Orange Tourmaline


Brown Semi-Precious Gemstones


Pietersite is a strikingly rare and unusual brown gemstone. Composed of feldspar and quartz minerals, its swirling patterns make each piece of jewelry one-of-a-kind. However, Pietersite stands out with an array of hues such as brown, yellow, and red that simply aren't seen anywhere else.


brown tourmaline semi-precious gemstone
Brown tourmaline semi-precious gemstone

Boulder opal, an Australian silicate rock with unique "boulder-like" characteristics and scoring a 6 on Mohs' scale of hardness, makes an eye-catching brown gem.


Tiger's eye, brown citrine, and hematite are popular brown gemstones.


List of Brown Semi-Precious Gemstones


  • Tiger's Eye

  • Hessonite Garnet

  • Smoky Quartz

  • Brown Tourmaline

  • Brown Jasper

  • Brown Agate

  • Brown Moonstone

  • Brown Zircon


Green Semi-Precious Gemstones


Green gemstones are an incredibly popular selection among those searching for semi-precious stones to purchase, often found as opaque cabochons that can be carved into various forms and shapes; alternatively, they may even come as beads.


Emerald, peridot, and green tsavorite garnet are among the most coveted green gems on the market, all found naturally within our earth's crust and beloved among collectors.


green semi-precious gemstones
116 Carat Green Tsavorite Garnet at The Smithsonian Museum

Common green gemstones include agate and jade. Agate is an exceptional gem with multiple hues ranging from yellow to green that make it the ideal addition for anyone wanting to add color without spending too much money.


Green tourmaline is another attractive gemstone option, available in an array of hues from watermelons to deep green with vitreous luster, making it a wonderful choice for those seeking affordable yet long-lasting green gems.


Other green semi-precious stones are nephrite and jadeite, with these often coming in various shades ranging from pale to rich apple green and even emerald green depending on how muted or saturated their hue is.


Other green gems include peridot, which ranges from light to dark sage-ish green.


List of Green Semi-Precious Gemstones


  • Peridot

  • Malachite

  • Jade

  • Verdelite

  • Green Tourmaline

  • Tsavorite Garnet

  • Prasiolite

  • Green Aventurine

  • Green Agate

  • Green Zoisite

Pink Semi-Precious Gemstones


Pink semi-precious gemstones are some of the most beloved gems. Popular examples include rose quartz, morganite, and rhodonite among many others.


Himalayan pink tourmaline, famous for its luxuriously grained texture and intricate banded patterns, is an exquisite and rare variety of tourmaline that contains subtle traces of lavender and rose hues.


pink semi-precious gemstones
Pink Coral Beads

Gemstones that form in the ocean from carotenoid pigments of coral polyps are called natural gemstones and are often drilled and carved for use as jewelry pieces.


List of Pink Semi-Precious Gemstones


  • Rubellite

  • Pink Tourmaline

  • Rhodonite

  • Pink Zircon

  • Rhodochrosite

  • Rose Quartz

  • Kunzite

  • Pink Opal

  • Morganite

  • Pink Fluorite

  • Pink Zoisite

  • Pink Coral

  • Pink Amethyst


White Semi-Precious Gemstones


Though many may believe otherwise, gems do not share equal status. While diamonds and other precious gems command high prices for their rarity and value, others such as jade and opal remain valuable despite not fitting the definition of precious.


white semi-precious gemstones
White Moonstone

List of White Semi-Precious Gemstones


  • Moonstone

  • Pearl

  • Opal

  • Howlite

  • White Zircon

  • White Topaz


Transparent Semi-Precious Gemstones


Transparent gemstones sparkle when cut into faceted gems while opaque stones have duller surfaces but remain highly durable. The below list is some of the transparent semi-precious gemstones found in the world.


List of Transparent Semi-Precious Gemstones


  • Rock Crystal Quartz

  • Citrine

  • Topaz

  • Zircon

  • Amethyst

  • Aquamarine

  • Kunzite

  • Spessartite Garnet

  • Tsavorite Garnet

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