To cut them into regular shapes like oval, round or cushion, would spoil these attractive features.
This gives us good news and bad news: The good news is that there are lots of different gemstones to choose from and the bad news is that there are lots of different gemstones to choose from!
To make it a bit easier for you we have evaluated them all and come up with the best 18. These gemstones are assessed by colour, pattern, hardness, and what we call the ‘wow factor’.
Agate
Agate is a colourful gemstone with interesting patterns and bands, great and varied shapes and a hardness which enables it to be used as any type of jewellery. Moss Agate, Blue Lace Agate and Dendritic Agate are all part of this varied family.
Ammolite
Ammolite is a very rare gemstone with dazzling colours. Quite delicate in natural form this gem is cut in weird and wonderful shapes to show off the play-of-colour and assembled in a protective triplet or doublet.
Boulder Opal
Boulder Opals are vibrant reds, oranges and blues bursting out from dark organic-looking rocky backgrounds. Being attached to its original natural stone gives them the strength to be used in any jewellery setting.
Charoite
Charoite is one of our newer gemstones and at the moment is only found in Russia. Its lovely lavenders and pretty purples combined with swirling patterns make this a very appealing gemstone for one-off jewellery designs.
Chrysocolla
Chrysocolla displays lovely blue and green colours on reddish brown or black backgrounds with irregular patterns making this gemstone even more unique. It is let down a little by being only 5 on the Mohs scale of hardness but they make fantastic pendants and earrings.
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Druzy Gemstones
Druzy gemstones are tiny mineral crystals which are attached to the surface of another mineral. They look as though they are still forming or are tumbling out of the rock’s centre and make truly unique jewellery. There are a few varieties including amethyst, azurite, agate and hemimorphite.
Fire Agate
Fire Agate is an agate, but deserves a spot on our list all by itself for its gorgeous waxy lustre and iridescent play of colour as well. It is often cut and polished into odd shapes in all 3 dimensions which make this gemstone particularly unique.
Fossil Coral
Fossil coral is a fascinating gemstone created by millions of years of fossilization of natural sea coral by agate. In the best examples the delicate patterns of ancient coral stand out beautifully. Regular Coral also makes a great gemstone for unique jewellery but at only 4 on the Mohs hardness scale it may be a bit fragile.
Jasper
Jasper is a hard gemstone decorated with stripes, spots and a multitude of colours. It polishes up wonderfully and has such a variety of looks and patterns it is hard to believe they are all the same gemstone.
Labradorite
Labradorite has an almost other worldly glow about it, so much so that the native Inuit of Canada felt the northern lights were contained within this rare gemstone. Spectrolite is a trade name for the stunning labradorite variety found only in Finland.
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Lapis Lazuli
Lapis Lazuli is the quintessentially blue gemstone used throughout history as decoration and for its spiritual powers and influence. The bright blues with flecks of gold are particularly attractive.
Larimar
Larimar is a fascinating blue or turquoise gemstone with a creamy white background that is only really found in the Caribbean island of the Dominican Republic. Its name comes from the man who discovered its daughter’s name, Larissa, and the Spanish word for the sea, Mer.
Obsidian
Obsidian is a form of volcanic glass and is a dark gemstone with interesting patterns especially beautiful in the variety known as Snowflake Obsidian. It has a very interesting history having been used as a surgical blade in Neolithic times!
Rhodochrosite
Rhodochrosite is also a little low on the Mohs hardness scale at just 4 but with care taken in choosing your style of jewellery this pale red or pink gemstone with zigzag stripes and bands will make a really eye-catching piece.
Rutile Quartz
Rutile Quartz and its quite similar cousin, Quartz with Marcasite, are just about the only transparent members of our list of gemstones. This clarity allows these quartzes to show off the amazing inclusions trapped with the gemstone.
Seraphinite
Seraphinite is the softest gemstone to make our list but its colour and pattern is so alluring you will be inspired to make a special exception for this wonderful stone. It has a deep green background which looks as though an artist has painted white feathers on its smooth surface.
Sugilite
Sugilite is a newish member of the gemstone world, only discovered and categorized in the 1940s. Bright purples and violets flare on a dark background in this gorgeous gemstone.
Tiger’s Eye
Tiger’s Eye is a classic golden brown gemstone much loved and used around the world. It is related to Hawk’s Eye and Pietersite gemstones, comes in a variety of sizes and shapes and is hard enough for most jewellery.
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