Why are Emeralds, Sapphires and Rubies More Expensive than Other Gemstones?

Antique-Style Emerald Bridal Wedding Ring Set

Precious Genuine Emeralds, Sapphires, and Rubies tend to be more expensive than other gemstones, like amethyst, garnet, citrine, etc. In fact, a very high quality emerald, sapphire or ruby can be even more expensive per carat than a diamond. Why is that the case?

Emeralds, Sapphires, and Rubies (the “big 3”) are generally considered precious gemstones whereas most other gemstones are considered semi-precious. There are several reasons for this. For example, Sapphires and rubies are among the hardest gemstones, with a Mohs scale hardness index of 9 (out of 10). The Mohs scale is an index of the “hardness” of each gemstone. In other words, each gemstone on the scale can scratch the ones below it. A diamond, the hardest rated on the Mohs scale gets a score of 10 (even though the diamond is 4 times harder than a sapphire, showing that the scale does not have a uniform hardness increase). The emerald gets a 7.5 – 8 on the Mohs scale of hardness. Having a higher Mohs rating means that the gemstone is more durable, will scratch less easily, and be a stone with higher longevity.

To compare, other gemstones have a slightly lower hardness level, such as topaz (8), amethyst (7), citrine (7), garnet (6.5-7.5), and tanzanite (6.5-7).

Genuine Ruby Stud Earrings, 14K White Gold

Other factors that play into the cost of the ruby, emerald, and sapphire is rarity. The top “3” gemstones continue to be the rarest of all gems and therefore usually the most expensive. While it is true that some gemstones, such as genuine alexandrite can be more expensive than the big 3, stones like alexandrite are an exception to the rule because of their extreme rarity. Other rare gemstones such as stones with unusual color or larger size combined with exceptional quality can also be an exception to the rule. Cuts of gemstones can also play a role in determining price, along with quality.

Three Stone Sapphire Engraved Ring, 14K White Gold

You can sometimes find “cheaper” gemstone jewelry, but if you are paying too little for an emerald, ruby, or sapphire, you have to ask why. You can find cheap, commercial-grade emeralds on the mass market, but they will often be dry, cracked on the surface or full of imperfections on the inside with low clarity ratings. Gemstones are not always certified either, especially when dealing with smaller gems, so you have to rely on the seller or retailer to provide a rating (which can be subjective). So go with stores you trust and if a gemstone is too cheap, that may be a red flag, especially if it is with gold or platinum. Silver gemstone rings can be less expensive of course because you are saving on the cost of the precious metals.

Apples of Gold Jewelry offers quality gemstone rings and jewelry and backs up all of our jewelry with a 100% money back guarantee if you are not satisfied for any reason. So make sure that wherever you shop, you have a guarantee and reasonable return policy in place, such as we do here at Apples of Gold. We have a diverse collection of gemstone jewelry and rings to choose from from aquamarine to tanzanite and in everything in between! We hand-select and hand-set our gemstone jewelry to ensure the highest quality, ensuring also that jewelry pieces with multiple gems match and are of the same quality across the board. View our collection and contact us with any questions! We are here to help!

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