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Chosen With the Heart as Much as the Eye
A coloured stone says something a diamond cannot. It signals personality, taste and choice: a stone selected for the wearer rather than for the wedding industry.
Coloured gemstones are described by three qualities of colour rather than the Four Cs. Hue is the colour family, tone is how light or dark it appears, and saturation is how vivid or muted it is. Strong, evenly distributed colour at a medium tone almost always looks more beautiful than a darker but patchy stone, and clarity standards are looser: most coloured stones contain visible inclusions, and that is entirely normal.
The most valuable colour is not always the best colour for the wearer. A dark sapphire may be technically impressive and still look heavy on the hand. Colour also shifts between daylight, office light and candlelight, which is why we always show stones in more than one light.
Stone by Stone
Eight Gemstone Guides
Each page covers colour range, hardness, treatments, what to watch and how to set it.
- Daily wear
Sapphire
Mohs 9, eleven colours, and the best all-round coloured gemstone for daily wear. Read the guide.
- Daily wear
Ruby
Red corundum, Mohs 9, and one of the few stones that can outprice diamond. Read the guide.
- With care
Emerald
An unmatched green with a jardin, low toughness and a need for protection. Read the guide.
- With care
Aquamarine
Soft sea-blue beryl, clean and affordable at larger sizes. Read the guide.
- With care
Morganite
Peach-pink beryl, and the rose gold pairing everyone asks for. Read the guide.
- Occasional
Tanzanite
Violet-blue, single-source, and more delicate than it looks. Read the guide.
- Occasional
Opal and Fire Opal
Play-of-colour like nothing else, and the care it genuinely needs. Read the guide.
- Mixed
Other Gemstones
Garnet, spinel, tourmaline, amethyst, citrine, peridot, topaz and moonstone. Read the guide.
Setting the Stone
The Metal Changes the Colour
The same stone reads differently depending on what surrounds it. Choose the pairing, not just the stone.
Platinum and White Gold
Cooler and cleaner. White metals let a stone's own colour read accurately, and suit blues, greens and icy pastels.
Yellow Gold
Warms a stone. Blues, greens and warm-toned stones feel richer against yellow gold, and it flatters antique cuts.
Rose Gold
Softens pink, peach, champagne and purple tones. Morganite in rose gold is the most requested combination we make.
Before Anything Else
Match the Stone to the Life It Will Lead
Hardness resists scratching. Toughness resists chipping. They are different properties and the two are constantly confused, which is how people end up with an opal engagement ring they have to take off to do the washing up.
Keep Exploring
Reference Guides
- ReferenceGemstone DurabilityMohs hardness, toughness and what suits which piece. Read more
- ReferenceGemstone TreatmentsHeat, oiling, diffusion and filling, explained plainly. Read more
- ReferenceBirthstonesTwelve months, with a hardier alternative for each. Read more
- Sister SectionDiamond EducationThe Four Cs, shapes, lab-grown and fancy colour. Explore diamonds
The Diamond and Gemstone Guide
Free Download
The Diamond and Gemstone Guide
Every gemstone stone by stone, plus durability, treatments, ethical sourcing and grading reports.