Precious vs. Semi-precious Gemstones

Traditionally, only four gemstones are classified as precious - diamonds, rubies, emeralds and sapphires.  There is no real scientific support for this separation, but a categorisation set by the jewellery industry. For example, emeralds are a variety of beryl, so is aquamarine. Emerald is considered precious whilst aquamarine is semi-precious. The categorisation is mainly due to the value and rarity between the four precious stones and the rest.  

I believe ALL gemstones are precious as they bring meaning and value to YOU when you wear them.  When choosing which stones to purchase, I believe you should be guided by the characteristics of the stone as well as its aesthetic. 

As a reference, I have listed some of the most popular semi-precious stones that I work with.  If you there’s a particular stone you’re interested in, please don’t hesitate to reach out at hello@bypriscilla-london.com  I would be happy to source it for you.

Some semi-precious stones include:

Agate

Amethyst

Apatite

Citrine

Garnet

Howite

Jasper

Lapis Lazuli

Malachite

Moonstone

Onyx

Opals

Pearls

Peridot

Rose Quartz

Sodalite

Spinel

Tanzanite

Tourmaline

Turquoise

White Pearls

Zircon (not to be confused with Cubic Zirconia)