12 Most Affordable Gemstones

There are literally hundreds of different gemstones that can be used for jewelry or simply for collecting. Price ranges also varies from gems for a few dollars to super rare diamonds that fetch millions of dollars per carat! A beautiful gemstone does not have to cost an arm and a leg, in this article we will list 12 of the most affordable gemstones readily available.

Amethyst

Amethyst is part of the quartz family and is incredibly popular gemstone. The color ranges from light purple to deeper violet shades, and amethyst is available in all shapes and sizes and amazingly affordable prices.

Like many other gemstones, the quality and prices of amethyst can vary according to its source. Amethyst from America is found in large sizes as opposed to African amethyst (usually mined in Madagascar and Zambia), which are sometimes small but have a higher saturation of color. Dark, highly saturated amethyst is also found in Australia and Sri Lanka. The now historic Siberian variety is deep purple with occasional red and blue hues and commands the highest price. However, most amethysts originate in Brazil and Uruguay.


Amethyst Price List:

Aquamarine

With its gorgeous color and stunning clarity, aquamarine is very popular with both collectors and wearers of fine jewelry. It comes as no surprise that the name derives from the Latin words for "water of the sea." Aquamarines range in color from almost colorless to deep teal and blue tones, the intensity of the color is very important with dark blues and greenish blues being most valued. Aquamarine is often used as a substitute for the rare, and very expensive Parabia Tourmaline.


Aquamarine Price List:

Citrine
As with amethyst, citrine belongs to the quartz family and has color shades from lighter yellow-orange to deeper red-orange tones. Citrine is readily available in any shape and size with very little price difference from smaller to very large gems.


Citrine Price List:

Danburite

You might be surprised to find danburite on a list of affordable gemstones. However, while danburite is quite rare, danburite has become very popular as a jewelry stone instead of white diamond as the color is identical, but the size is much larger and incredibly much more affordable than a diamond.


Danburite Price List:

Garnet

Garnets are one of the most versatile and colorful gemstones to be found and while some garnet types such as Tsavorite garnet and Demantoid garnet can reach very high prices it is generally a very affordable gemstone. Garnet offers affordable gems in many color tones such as:

Red – Pyrope Garnet
Purple – Rhodolite Garnet
Orange – Hessonite Garnet
Yellow – Spessartine Garnet


Pyrope Garnet Price List:

Rhodolite Garnet Price List:

Hessonite Garnet Price List:

Spessartine Garnet Price List:

Peridot

Peridot is a variant of olivine and has colors that vary from golden lime green to rich grass green. Traditionally, the most sought-after color shades have been rich grass greens. Peridot is often compared to the much more expensive emerald and Tsavorite garnet, but peridot offers much higher quality gems (color hue/clarity) compared to both emerald and Tsavorite garnet.


Peridot Price List:

Quartz

Quartz is the most varied in terms of varieties, colors and shapes of gemstones. The gemstone quartz has been used in jewelry for thousands of years. We have already covered amethyst and citrine, but there are a range of other quart gems to be had at very realistic prices. One of the beauties with quartz is that you often find very large gemstones with super clear clarity.

Pink – Rose Quartz
Yellow – Lemon Quartz
Cognac – Smoky Quartz
Green – Green Amethyst
Bi Color – Ametrine
Colorless/Golden – Rutile Quartz


Quartz Price List:

Ruby

Ruby is the second hardest gemstone after diamond and has long been the most popular red gemstone in the world. Rubies are found in in various shades of red ranging from light pinkish red to vivid rich red. While top quality rubies from certain locations such as Myanmar (Burma) can be very expensive, new discoveries mainly in Madagascar (along with a new heat treatment process), has mad many rubies very affordable.


Ruby (treated) Price List:

Topaz

Topaz has been used as a gemstone for thousands of years. While naturally colored topaz is very rare, more than 99.99% of all topaz sold in today’s market has been treated to achieve their beautiful colors. Topaz crystals typically form in large shapes with very good clarity which enable us to find topaz of any type of shape and sizes at very affordable prices. Topaz gems comes in a range of colors:


Blue – Sky Blue Topaz, Swiss Blue Topaz and London Blue Topaz
White – Plain Topaz
Pink – Mystic Pink Topaz
Green – Mystic Green Topaz
Multicolor – Mystic Rainbow Topaz

Topaz (blue) Price List:

Topaz (white) Price List:

Topaz (mystic colors) Price List:

Sapphire

Sapphire is together with ruby part of the corundum mineral family. The most known type of sapphire is the blue type. Sapphire is however found in every other color (apart from red which is called ruby), and it is the other colored sapphires that usually offers very good values.

Green Sapphire
Orange Sapphire
Yellow Sapphire


Green Sapphire Price List:

Orange Sapphire Price List:

Yellow Sapphire Price List:

Tourmaline

Tourmaline has a colorful and romantic history and comes in an incredible array of beautiful colors. Tourmaline is found in a palette of over 100 different shades, and is one of the world's most diverse gemstones -  this has resulted in the nickname "chameleon gem".

Pink Tourmaline
Green Tourmaline
Yellow Tourmaline


Pink Tourmaline Price List:

Green Tourmaline Price List:

Yellow Tourmaline Price List:

Zircon

Zircon is the birthstone for the month of December. Zircon is often used as Diamond substitute because Zircon has such an incredibly strong brilliance that easily matches that of Diamonds. White and blue zircon is usually the most well known types, but zircon is found in a range of colors:

Blue Zircon -
Red Zircon -
Pink Zircon -
Imperial Zircon -
Yellow Zircon -


Blue Zircon Price List:

Zircon (other colors) Price List: