With diamonds soaking up much of the spotlight in the jewelry world, colored gemstone collectors are often left with many questions (and few experts to ask!)

At Walton’s, we aim to change that as our entire team is composed of friendly faces with educational backgrounds from the Gemological Institute of America. We love sharing our knowledge – and hearing how the jewelry lovers in our community score on our quizzes. 

Play along and let us know how you scored and your favorite colored gemstone trivia!

Which gemstone is known as the “Rainbow Gemstone”

While many gemstones come in a vast array of colors such as sapphires and even diamonds, a few manage to hold many colors in a single magical flash such as opal. Only one gemstone, however, is known by gemologists as the “Rainbow Gemstone”. 

Do you know what it is? Hint: its crystals are naturally trigonal creating three-sided prisms.

Does colored gemstone jewelry feature any fancy cuts that colorless gems don’t? 

While colorless gems and even many colored gemstones look best when faceted, certain colored gemstones – particularly opaque stones or those with unique visual displays such as the jardin of an emerald – look stunning with a smooth domed cut not otherwise used in colorless stones. 

Do you know what the cut is called? Hint: this term derives from the French word for “head”.

What colored gemstone is second in popularity behind diamonds for engagement rings?

It’s worth noting that this stone is also second only to diamonds in hardness, making it an excellent choice for engagement rings or any everyday wear piece of jewelry. Luckily, this gem also comes in a stunning variety of colors. The only shade it can’t be found in? Red.

Do you know what the gemstone is? Hint: it is also the most common birthstone there is. 

When did the tradition of birthstones begin?

While many people’s first introduction to colored gemstones is through the idea of birthstones, it may surprise you to know that this was likely true for humans living thousands of years ago too! It’s a timeless piece of our collective history, not a new trend. 

Thanks to advances in gemology and the discovery of new stones, however, birthstones have been added over the years giving sentimentalists more choices than ever when looking for meaningful jewelry to mark a birthday for themselves or a loved one. In fact, our team loves to open new collectors eyes to the possibilities that colored gemstones have to offer!

 

Whether you’re a serious gem scholar with an encyclopedic knowledge of all things antique jewelry or a casual collector who just loves color… we want to hear how you did with our quiz!

Here’s to your brilliance,
The Walton Family