These are some of our other favorite types of natural gemstones that we feature occasionally. Most are mined in the same areas that our sapphires come from.

Alexandrite-The most sensational feature about this stone, however, is its surprising ability to change its color. Alexandrite is a variety of chrysoberyl, which ideally shows a distinct color change from green or bluish greeen in fluorescent light or daylight to red or purplish red in incandescent light.

Chrysoberyl-The species name chrysoberyl is given to a transparent, faceted gemstone that does not show a color change between daylight and artificial light (the chrysoberyl which shows a color change is called alexandrite).Hardness is 8.5 on the Moh's scale. The high refractive index of the stone makes it very lively stone.

Spinel-A magnesium aluminum oxide which occurs in all colors, ruby-red and blue being the most popular. An 8 on the scale of hardness

Garnet-A group of gemstones occurring in every color but blue. One of earth's most common minerals, though only a small portion is considered gem quality, some common varieties are

Rhodolite- violet to purplish-red;
Pyrope-red;
Grossularite - green, yellow, brown, white, colourless, light violet, red, orangey-red; Varieties: hessonite (orange to brown), transparent, green, grossularite (tsavorite);
Spessartite - yellow to yellow-brown, dark orangey-brown, reddish-orange, orange;

Opal-Opal is a noncrystalline form of the mineral silica, and may contain between 2-10% water (some varieties as high as 30%). Most varieties of opal are more than 60 MILLION years old. More than 90% of the world's gem quality opals come from  Australia, although it can be found in other parts of the world incuding Brazil, Mexico, Czechoslovakia and even in Nevada. Some confusion exists on the differences berween solid opal and doublets and triplets. Solid Opal is just that, a 100% solid piece of opal with no fillers. Doublets or Triplets contain natural opal but usually are just slices of opal sandwiched between other material

Tourmaline-Tourmaline is a group of minerals comprised of a complex boron-aluminum silicate with one or more of the following: magnesium, sodium, lithium, iron, potassium or other metals. It appears in light from dark red to purple as well as brownish variations of these hues - light to dark green, yellowish-green, greenish-yellow, brownish-orange. It also grows bi-colored.