Gemstones come in every color of the rainbow, and just like diamonds, value is determined by their color, cutting, clarity and carat weight.

	Amethyst A variety of quartz occurring in transparent light to dark purple, amethyst is February's birthstone.
	Aquamarine Aquamarine, the traditional birthstone for March, is transparent blue to greenish-blue, usually light in tone. Aquamarine comes from the Latin word for sea water.
	Emerald The rich grass green color of May's birthstone is unmistakable and highly prized.
	Garnet Garnet, January's birthstone, is a stone of many colors. From the well-known deep red to pinkish orange, from purple to apple green, garnets come in every color except for blue.
	Opal October's birthstone is the opal, known for its distinctive flashes of color throughout the body of the stone.
	Pearl Pearl is an organic gem formed in the bodies of salt-water or freshwater mollusks over time. Nacre, the crystalline layers laid down by the mollusk, give June's birthstone its distinctive luster.
	Peridot August's birthstone is most often seen as a transparent green, but this velvety gemstone also occurs in hues from yellowish green to brown.
	Ruby Rubies are red to red-violet corundum, the hardest mineral gemstone after diamond. The dramatic color and relative scarcity of July's birthstone make it a highly prized gemstone.
	Sapphire Sapphires make up the mineral corundum and occur in all colors of the rainbow, except for red corundum which is ruby. Although you can find exceptional sapphires of any color, this September birthstone is most often associated with the color blue. Sapphire comes from "sappheiros," the Greek word for blue.
	Spinel Spinel offers a wide range of color, and with good cutting, exceptional sparkle.
	Tanzanite Named after the country of its original source, Tanzanite offers a rich violet-blue color.
	Topaz November's birthstone, Topaz comes in many colors, but is best known for yellow and blue tones.
	Tourmaline Tourmaline, an alternate birthstone for October, is emerging as a popular gemstone and offers a wide range of colors and good durability.
	Zircon Zircon, December's birthstone, comes many colors but is most often sought for in its intense blue hue.