Gemstones can be found in numerous colors, but they are divided into two categories, namely precious and semi-precious gemstones. There are only 4 precious gemstones, which are diamond, ruby, sapphire, and emerald. All other gemstones are regarded as semi-precious gemstones.
These stones play several roles in the healing and spiritual belief systems throughout history, each with unique colors, beauty, meaning, and story.
In this article, we will explore the popular semi-precious gemstones by color and what they symbolize.
Popular Semi-Precious Gemstones by Color: Exploring Gemstone Varieties
Mentioned below are 10 different colors and three types of semi gemstones with these colors. By the way, the colors of these gemstones are not limited to this; some have more than one color.
| Red | Garnet | Red Jasper | Rhodonite |
| Pink | Rose Quartz | Pink Opal | Rhodochrosite |
| Blue | Aquamarine | Lapis Lazuli | Turquoise |
| Purple | Amethyst | Purple Fluorite | Charoite |
| Green | Jade | Peridot | Green Aventurine |
| Yellow | Citrine | Yellow Jasper | Yellow Calcite |
| Orange | Carnelian | Orange Calcite | Sunstone |
| Clear | Clear Quartz | Rock Crystal | White Topaz |
| White | Moonstone | Howlite | White Pearl |
| Black | Black Onyx | Black Obsidian | Black Tourmaline |
Red Semi Gemstone
- Garnet: Commonly found in Mali and India. Garnet is widely known for its brilliance and durability, and have been incorporated in jewelry for centuries. It’s the birthstone for January.
- Red Jasper: Commonly found in Australia, Brazil, and Germany. Red Jasper is popular for its rich, earthy-red, and unique patterns. It’s linked with stability, grounding, and physical strength.
- Rhodonite: Commonly found in Russia, Sweden, and the United States. Rhodonite is known for its balancing and healing capabilities.
Pink Semi Gemstone
- Rose Quartz: Commonly found in Madagascar and South Africa. Rose Quartz is famous for its representation of love, compassion, affection, and emotional healing.
- Pink Opal: Commonly found in Peru, Mexico, and Australia. Pink Opal is commonly known for its translucency, as well as its calming and soothing energy. It also serves as a healing stone.
- Rhodochrosite: Commonly found in Argentina, South Africa, and the United States. Rhodochrosite is a representation of love, self-discovery, and emotional healing.
Blue Semi Gemstone
- Aquamarine: Commonly found in Nigeria, Brazil, and Madagascar. Aquamarine represents tranquility, harmony, and clarity. It’s the birthstone for March.
- Lapis Lazuli: Commonly found in Egypt, Chile, and Russia. Lapis Lazuli is one of the earliest semi gemstones, and it’s known for its immense beauty and spiritual significance.
- Turquoise: Commonly found in Iran, Afghanistan, China, and Mexico. Turquoise plays a lot of significance in historical and cultural beliefs. It’s often used in art and adornments.
Purple Semi Gemstone
- Amethyst: Commonly found in Brazil, Uruguay, and Zambia. Amethyst is one of the world’s most valuable quarts semi gemstones. It’s known for protection, spirituality, and clarity of mind. It’s used as a birthstone for February.
- Purple Fluorite: Commonly found in China, Argentina, and Mexico. Purple Fluorite is popular for its unmatched beauty and is known to promote intuition and spiritual growth.
- Charoite: Mainly found in Siberia, Russia. Charoite is a rare and highly sought-after semi gemstone famously known for its beauty and spiritual capabilities.
Green Semi Gemstone
- Jade: Commonly found in Guatemala, Russia, and China. Jade is one of the earliest semi gemstones with significant cultural belief. It symbolizes protection, purity, and good fortune.
- Peridot: Commonly found in Egypt, Myanmar (Burma), and Pakistan. Peridot represents abundance, positivity, and safety. It is the birthstone for August.
- Green Aventurine: Commonly found in India, Brazil, and Russia. Green Aventurine symbolizes luck, prosperity, and abundance. It is recognized as a healing stone.
Yellow Semi Gemstone
- Citrine: Commonly found in Brazil, Russia, and Madagascar. Citrine is famous for its representation of prosperity, success, and positivity. It is the birthstone for November.
- Yellow Jasper: Commonly found in Australia, Brazil, and the USA. Yellow Jasper is popularly known for its grounding and nurturing capabilities. It is also recognized as a healing stone.
- Yellow Calcite: Commonly found in Mexico, the USA, and Brazil. Yellow Calcite is famous for its representation of confidence, joy, and mental clarity.
Orange Semi Gemstone
- Carnelian: Commonly found in India, Uruguay, and Brazil. Carnelian is famous for its energizing and revitalizing characteristics. It’s used as a talisman for motivation and courage.
- Orange Calcite: Commonly found in Mexico, Brazil, and the USA. Orange Calcite is incredibly popular for its positivity, creativity, and happiness properties.
- Sunstone: Commonly found in Norway, India, and the USA. Sunstone is loved for its sparkling look and warm shades. It represents joy, prosperity, and vitality.
Clear Semi Gemstone
- Clear Quartz: Commonly found in Madagascar, Brazil, and the USA. Clear Quartz is famous for its transparency and recognized as a master healer and energy enhancer. It is used for healing and meditation.
- Rock Crystal: Commonly found worldwide. Rock Crystal is colorless, transparent, and can be used together with various jewelry and ornaments. It is used for healing practices.
- White Topaz: Commonly found in Sri Lanka, Brazil, and the USA. White Topaz is highly regarded for its beauty and affordability. It is often used as an alternative to diamond.
White Semi Gemstone
- Moonstone: Commonly found in Sri Lanka, Madagascar, and India. Moonstone is associated with feminine energy and represents intuition and emotion balance. It is a birthstone for June.
- Howlite: Commonly found in Canada and Europe. Howlite is very popular for its calming and soothing characteristics. Its white to gray appearance makes it exceedingly attractive.
- White Pearl: Commonly found worldwide in oceans and freshwaters. White pearls represent purity, timeless beauty, and unmatched elegance. Pearl is also a birthstone for June.
Black Semi Gemstone
- Black Onyx: Commonly found in India, Uruguay, and Madagascar. Black Onyx is widely known to mean protection, elegance, and strength. It’s added to jewelry as a protective stone.
- Black Obsidian: Commonly found in places with volcanic activities like the USA, Iceland, and Mexico. Black Obsidian is known to have high protective and grounding properties.
- Black Tourmaline: Commonly found in Brazil and Sri Lanka. Black Tourmaline is a powerful stone with protective power to wade off negative energies.
The Symbolism and Meanings Behind Semi-Precious Gemstone Colors
Below is the meaning and symbolism of the various semi-precious gemstone colors.
Red and Pink Semi Gemstones: Passion, Love, and Vitality
Throughout history, these gemstones have been valued for their stunning colors and symbol of intense emotions, including love, passion, vitality, and the burning fire in one’s spirit. They also represent affection, tenderness, and nurturing qualities.
Blue and Green Semi Gemstones: Serenity, Harmony, and Growth
The calming shades of the blue gemstones creates a sense of serenity, peace, and tranquility, while the lush green shades symbolizes nature, harmony, and growth. These gemstones generally represent balance, healing, and personal growth.
Yellow and Orange Semi Gemstones: Joy, Abundance, and Creativity
The sunny hues of the yellow and orange semi gemstones evoke feelings of happiness, sufficiency, and optimism. They are associated with evoking one’s creative spark, improving self-expression, and attracting prosperity.
Purple and Violet Semi Gemstones: Spirituality, Intuition, and Transformation
Purple and violet semi gemstones are believed to promote spiritual growth, open the channels of intuition, and propel transformative experiences in one’s life. They are also associated with royalty and wisdom.
White and Clear Semi Gemstones: Purity, Clarity, and Protection
In addition to symbolizing purity, clarity, and protection, these semi-precious gemstones are said to have connection to divine energies. They are often used for spiritual purposes thanks to their cleansing and protective characteristics.
Brown and Earth-Toned Semi Gemstones: Grounding, Stability, and Nurturing
Brown and Earth-toned gemstones offer a grounding presence and promote a nurturing connection with nature. These semi gemstones are associated with the Earth’s energy and are believed to offer strength, stability, and properties of rootedness.
Black and Gray Semi Gemstones: Mystery, Protection, and Elegance
These gemstones evoke a sense of mystery, depth, and hidden knowledge. Also, they are symbols of protection as they are believed to shield against negativity and offer strength. Their brilliance and aesthetic value is also top-notch.
Multicolored and Rainbow Semi Gemstones: Expressions of Vibrancy and Individuality
These sets of semi gemstones showcase a beautiful array of colors and display the uniqueness of each person wearing them. They also inspire joy, diversity, promote self-expression, and encourage the vibrant tapestry of life.
Conclusion
There are numerous semi-precious gemstones in the world, and all of them are distinct not just in properties and what they represent, but also in colors. Above, we’ve explored the basic types of colors and the popular semi gemstones that have those colors. Mind you, some semi gemstones have more than one color and some change according to the conditions they are exposed to.
