A gemstone is a mineral, rock, or organic material that has been cut, polished, and shaped, typically for use in jewelry or decorative objects, due to its beauty, durability, and rarity.
While many gemstones are minerals, some are rocks or organic materials like pearls or amber. They are valued for their aesthetic qualities, such as color, clarity, and brilliance. The table 1 summarise commonly used gemstones and their applications.
Table 1: commonly used gemstones and their applications.
|
Gemstone |
Common Uses |
Applications |
|
Diamond |
Jewelry, Industrial tools |
Widely prized for brilliance and hardness (Mohs 10), diamonds are used in jewelry and industrial applications such as cutting, polishing, drilling, and in mining, construction, and oil exploration due to exceptional hardness and thermal conductivity. |
|
Sapphire |
Jewelry, Scientific instruments |
Sapphires are used in high-end watches, smartphone screens, camera lenses (thanks to scratch resistance), medical implants, surgical tools, and laser devices due to extreme stiffness and chemical durability. |
|
Ruby |
Jewelry, Lasers, Industrial equipment |
Rubies, a red corundum, are valued in jewelry and used in lasers for medical purposes (tattoo removal, skin resurfacing). Their hardness and corrosion resistance allow use in chemical equipment and watch bearings. |
|
Quartz |
Timekeeping, Telecommunications |
Quartz’s piezoelectric properties make it essential in oscillators for watches, clocks, GPS systems, radio, telecom, optical fibers, laser lenses, and scientific instruments. |
|
Emerald |
Jewelry, Optical components |
Used in fine jewelry, emeralds also serve in chemical processing, optical lenses, and lasers, especially in medical applications like ophthalmology, due to high refractive index and corrosion resistance. |
|
Garnet |
Abrasives, Electronics |
Garnets are used for abrasive blasting, waterjet cutting, and as substrates for semiconductor materials in LEDs and power electronics. |
|
Amethyst |
Jewelry, Metaphysical |
Popular for its rich purple color and reasonable durability (Mohs 7), amethyst is widely used in jewelry. Traditionally believed to have calming and protective properties, it is valued both aesthetically and spiritually. |
|
Pearl |
Jewelry |
Organic gemstone commonly used in jewelry for its lustrous appearance though softer (Mohs 2.5-4.5). |
