Forever Rox · Gemstone Encyclopedia
Every gemstone, explained
A complete guide to each gemstone we work with: color and clarity, how it's cut and graded, where it comes from and how to care for it. Pick a stone below to start.
Featured gem · November's birthstone
Topaz
A hard, brilliant gem found in many colors, from warm golden tones to icy blue.
The facts
Blue, golden, pink and colorless. Hardness: 8 on the Mohs scale.
Topaz
AlexandriteChrysoberylThe rarest color-change gem: green in daylight, red under warm light.
AmethystQuartzPurple quartz ranging from soft lilac to deep royal violet.
AquamarineBerylA clear, sea-blue beryl and a close relative of emerald.
CitrineQuartz (silicon dioxide)A sunny, affordable quartz once called the "merchant's stone," prized for warm golden color.
DiamondCarbonThe hardest natural material, prized for its brilliance and fire.
EmeraldBerylThe classic green beryl, prized for vivid color and its garden of natural inclusions.
GarnetGarnet groupA family of gems, from deep red almandine to vivid green tsavorite.
OnyxChalcedony (microcrystalline quartz)A banded chalcedony, usually dyed a deep, uniform black, carved since antiquity.
OpalHydrated silicaFamous for play-of-color, flashes of spectral light that move as you do.
PearlCalcium carbonate (nacre)The only gem grown by a living creature, judged by luster, surface and shape.
PeridotOlivineA vivid green gem with volcanic origins and a signature glow.
RubyCorundumRed corundum, colored by chromium. The finest show a vivid, saturated red.
SapphireCorundumCorundum in every color but red, best known in deep, velvety blue.
SpinelSpinelA brilliant, durable gem long mistaken for ruby and now recognized in its own right.
TanzaniteZoisiteA blue-violet gem found in just one place on Earth: northern Tanzania.TopazTopazA hard, brilliant gem found in many colors, from warm golden tones to icy blue.
TourmalineTourmalineA gem of many colors, including bi-color stones with pink and green in one crystal.
TurquoiseHydrated copper aluminum phosphateAn opaque blue-to-green gem prized for its color and web-like matrix.
ZirconZirconA natural gem with diamond-like fire, not to be confused with synthetic cubic zirconia.No gemstones match that search.
Questions about this guide
How many gemstones does Forever Rox cover in this encyclopedia?
Nineteen gemstones, from alexandrite to zircon, each with its own complete guide covering color, clarity, cut, carat, treatments, origins and care.
How is this different from the birthstone guides?
The birthstone guides are organized by birth month, since several months share more than one stone. This encyclopedia is organized by gemstone, so it's the place to go when you already know which stone you want to learn about, no matter the month.
Can I find my birthstone here too?
Yes. Every birthstone gem has its own full guide in this encyclopedia. For a month-by-month view instead, see our Birthstones by Month guide.
Where can I see or buy these gemstones near Lake Tahoe?
Forever Rox Fine Jewelry's showroom in Incline Village carries jewelry in most of these gemstones and designs custom pieces in any of them. Call (775) 831-4544.
Questions about a specific gemstone or piece? Call us at (775) 831-4544 or visit our Incline Village showroom.