Considering gemstones opens up a whole new world of options when it comes to ring design. Once you begin looking at them closely, you realize colour is only the beginning. Why does one sapphire look deep and velvety while another feels bright and crisp? Why do emeralds often have visible inclusions? What makes moissanite sparkle in such a distinct way? And how do you know which gemstones are suited to a ring that may be worn every day?
At Alexis Gallery, these are the conversations we love having with our clients during consultations. Gemstones can be deeply personal, especially when they are chosen for an engagement ring, a custom piece, or jewellery with sentimental value. Understanding the stone helps you see more clearly, ask better questions, and feel more connected to the decision you are making.
This section brings together the guides we use when introducing clients to gemstones during the early stages of the ring design process. If you are beginning to explore coloured stones, lab grown gemstones, or alternative centre stones, our guides will help you understand the basics with more confidence.
Before getting into individual gemstones, it helps to understand the language used to describe them. Jewellers look at colour, durability, origin, treatments, cut, and setting style when helping clients compare stones.
These details matter because gemstones are not all evaluated in the same way. A sapphire, emerald, ruby, moissanite, and alexandrite each bring different considerations to the design process. Once you understand what to look for, the differences become easier to see.
Lab grown gemstones are created in controlled environments that reproduce the conditions needed for crystal growth. Lab grown gemstones share the same chemical composition and crystal structure as their earth mined counterparts.
For many clients, lab grown gemstones make it easier to explore a particular colour, size, or design direction. If you are curious about where these stones come from and how they compare to mined options, this guide is a helpful place to begin.
Lab grown and earth mined gemstones can look similar, but their stories begin in different places. One is formed in the earth over time. The other is grown through a controlled process in a lab.
That difference can affect colour, clarity, rarity, availability, price, and personal meaning. Our guides walks through what sets each apart so you can decide which option feels right for your custom engagement ring.
The main visual difference of their growth method is their consistency and purity of colour. Lab grown gemstones offer a rich consistent colour that can be possible with earth mined gemstones, but often comes with a hefty price tag. Alternatively, some earth mined gemstones offer more natural tones (often referred to as bi-colour, iridescences or two-toned) that lab grown gemstones can’t replicate.
Choosing a gemstone is rarely just about choosing a colour. The right stone also needs to suit the design, the setting, and the vision of the person wearing it.
In this guide, we walk through the questions we often discuss during consultations. We look at your inspirations, colour goals and plans of how you’ll wear the ring to help guide you.
Once the foundations are familiar, gemstones begin to reveal more subtle differences.
Two stones with the same name can look very different when viewed side by side. Small shifts in colour, cut, clarity, treatment, or proportion can change the way a gemstone appears in a finished ring.
If you want to go beyond the basics in your gemstone education, we’ve put together guides that will help you look at coloured stones with a more trained eye.
Every gemstone has its own character. Our in depth guides explains what makes the stone special, its characteristics, and what to consider before making it part of your design.
| Gemstones | Guides |
|---|---|
| Moissanite | Moissanite is typically lab grown for fine jewellery, known for its bright sparkle and durable nature. |
| Sapphire | Sapphire is a durable corundum gemstone best known for blue, though it can appear in many colours. Its hardness makes it popular for coloured engagement rings. |
| Emerald | Emerald is a green variety of beryl, loved for its depth of colour and the natural inclusions that give each stone its character. |
| Ruby | Ruby is the red variety of corundum, valued for its rich colour, strength, and long history in royal jewellery. |
| Alexandrite | Alexandrite is a rare chrysoberyl gemstone known for its colour-change effect under different lighting. |
| Spinel | Spinel is a naturally occurring gemstone found in many colours, often admired for its clarity, brightness, and understated beauty. |
| Aquamarine | Aquamarine is a blue to blue-green variety of beryl, recognized for its clean colour and gentle, watery appearance. |
