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The Smart Guide To

Choosing Your Perfect Gemstone

Discover gemstones by beauty, meaning, astrology or birthstone — and find the one that truly resonates with you.

8 min read 11 chapters

Ethically Sourced

Responsibly sourced gemstones you can trust

Certified Gemstones

IGI / GIA certified for authenticity

Expert Guidance

Personalised guidance from gemstone experts

Lifetime Support

Care, cleaning & support for your gemstone

Chapter 01 · Introduction

There is no single best gemstone

Diamonds are graded on an agreed scale. Coloured gemstones are not — which is exactly why choosing one feels harder than it should.

The right gemstone is the intersection of four things: how it looks to you, what it means to you, how you plan to wear it, and what it costs to keep. This guide takes them one at a time.

  • Understand what actually makes a gemstone durable
  • Learn how colour, cut and origin drive price
  • Match a stone to your lifestyle, not just your taste
  • Buy with certification and clear expectations
Find your starting point

Find the gemstone that's right for you

Multiple ways to discover the perfect gemstone.

Chapter 04 · Colour & Meaning

What each colour has come to mean

Across cultures, gemstone colours picked up meanings long before anyone measured refractive index. Red for vitality. Blue for discipline and clarity. Green for renewal. Yellow for wisdom and abundance.

You do not have to believe any of it for it to matter. Meaning is part of why a stone feels like yours — and it is a perfectly good reason to choose one.

Our position: we present traditional meanings as tradition, not as claims of effect. Choose the stone you are drawn to, and let the meaning be a bonus.

Explore by meaning

Chapter 05 · Astrology Guide

Find your gemstone by planet

Select a planet to see its traditional gemstone, attributes and who it is worn by.

Sun (Surya)

Planet of vitality, authority, confidence & leadership

Ruby

  • Vitality
  • Confidence
  • Authority
Planet
Sun
Day
Sunday
Metal
Gold
Finger
Ring Finger
Colour
Red

Best for

  • Leadership
  • Government
  • Medicine
  • Public Life
  • Confidence
  • Vitality

Varniya Note

Astrological gemstone selection is a personal belief. We always recommend consulting a qualified astrologer before choosing a gemstone for astrological purposes.

Why Ruby?

  • Strengthens confidence & self-belief
  • Associated with leadership and recognition
  • A Mohs 9 stone, excellent for everyday wear
  • Holds colour and polish for generations

Chapter 06 · Birthstones by month

Each month has a special gemstone.

A simple, personal place to start — especially when you are choosing a gift.

View all months

Chapter 07 · Compare Gemstones

Compare popular gemstones

Hardness, brilliance, wearability and budget — side by side, so you can see the trade-offs at a glance.

Compare popular gemstones
Diamond Sapphire Ruby Emerald Amethyst Pearl
Hardness (Mohs)10 9 9 7.5 – 8 7 2.5
Brilliance
Daily WearExcellent Excellent Excellent With care Good Delicate
Budget
Best ForEveryday & special occasions Everyday wear Everyday wear Occasional wear Everyday wear Occasion wear

Swipe to compare more gemstones

Talk to an expert about your shortlist

Chapter 08 · Lifestyle & Daily Wear

Match the stone to how you actually live

Hardness is measured on the Mohs scale, and it is the single most useful number when you plan to wear a stone every day. Anything below 7 will pick up scratches from ordinary dust over time.

That does not rule softer stones out — it just means they belong in earrings, pendants and occasion pieces rather than a ring you never take off.

  • Mohs 9–10 (diamond, sapphire, ruby): wear daily, in any setting
  • Mohs 7–8.5 (topaz, spinel, garnet, aquamarine): daily with sensible care
  • Mohs 6–7 (emerald, tanzanite, peridot): protective settings, occasional wear
  • Below Mohs 6 (pearl, opal, coral, turquoise): earrings, pendants and special occasions

A practical rule: if you cook, garden or type all day with a ring on, stay at Mohs 8 or above. Save the softer stones for pieces that see less contact.

Chapter 09 · Budget & Value

Where your money actually goes

With coloured gemstones, colour drives price more than size does. A one-carat stone in a superb colour can cost several times a two-carat stone in a dull one — and it will look better on the hand.

Treatment matters just as much. Most stones on the market are heated; unheated stones of the same quality carry a real premium. Neither is wrong, as long as it is disclosed.

  • Prioritise colour and cut over carat weight
  • Ask what treatment a stone has had, and get it in writing
  • A well-cut smaller stone outperforms a poorly cut larger one
  • Setting and metal typically add 20–40% to the stone cost
See gemstones by budget

Gemstone Compass

Answer four questions and we'll find your match

A two-minute guided path through preference, lifestyle, colour and budget.

  • Your preference
  • Lifestyle
  • Colour
  • Budget

Chapter 10 · Care & Longevity

Five habits that keep a gemstone beautiful

Gemstone care is simple once you know which rules apply to your stone.

  1. 1

    Know your stone

    Check the Mohs hardness and any treatment before you decide how to wear and clean it.

  2. 2

    Put it on last

    Jewellery goes on after perfume, lotion and hairspray, and comes off before cleaning or swimming.

  3. 3

    Clean gently

    Warm water, mild soap and a soft brush suit most stones. Skip ultrasonic and steam cleaners for emerald, opal, pearl and coral.

  4. 4

    Store separately

    Harder stones scratch softer ones. Keep each piece in its own pouch or a lined compartment.

  5. 5

    Check the setting yearly

    Bring it in once a year so we can check prongs, re-polish and re-secure the stone before anything works loose.

Chapter 11 · Questions

Frequently asked questions

Which gemstone is best for everyday wear?

Anything at Mohs 8 or above. Diamond (10), sapphire and ruby (9) and spinel (8) all handle daily wear comfortably. Below Mohs 7, a stone will gradually scratch from ordinary household dust, so it is better suited to earrings, pendants and occasion pieces.

Are heated or treated gemstones a problem?

No — the vast majority of coloured gemstones on the market are heated, and it is an accepted, stable practice. What matters is disclosure. We tell you exactly what treatment a stone has had, and unheated stones are priced and certified accordingly.

Do I need to believe in astrology to wear a gemstone?

Not at all. Many customers choose a stone purely for its colour, meaning or birth month. We present traditional astrological associations as tradition, and always recommend consulting a qualified astrologer if you are choosing specifically for astrological reasons.

What does Ratti mean, and how does it relate to carat?

Ratti is a traditional Indian unit still used for gemstones. One Ratti is roughly 0.91 carat, so a 5 Ratti stone is about 4.5 carats. We list both so there is no ambiguity when you compare stones.

Do your gemstones come certified?

Yes. Our gemstones are supplied with independent certification confirming identity, weight and any treatment. Certification is the only reliable way to know what you are buying with coloured stones.

Can I have a gemstone set into a custom design?

Absolutely. Our team can help you choose a stone and design the setting around it — including protective settings for softer gemstones like emerald and tanzanite.

Not sure where to start?

We'll help you choose

Tell us what you are drawn to and how you will wear it. Our gemstone experts will shortlist the right stones for you.

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