Grey Gemstones: Ten Of The Most Common Grey Gemstones Used.
Gray gemstones is not typically associated with jewelry because gray is an unprecedented variety in the jewelry world. There are, truth be told, not many gemstones that are primarily gray in variety.
However, because of this rarity, gray gemstones are extremely intriguing when crafted into jewelry. While they may not leap out at you with the intensity of say, a red gemstone, gray gemstones have a subdued beauty.
Gray is a neutral variety that goes well with other colors. It is the ideal combination of black and white and represents balance, sophistication, and compromise. Gray goes with any outfit and tends to suit most skin tones. On the off chance that you’re looking to buy a gray gemstone, here are the 10 most popular options used in jewelry.
1. Gray Diamonds
Gray diamonds have been increasing in popularity lately as the demand for extraordinary gemstones increases. Gray diamonds get their variety from the inclusion of hydrogen in their composition. The range of variety in gray diamonds is wide and varies from Faint Gray to Fancy Dark Gray.
In the diamond industry, these shades are given nicknames such as charcoal gray, pigeon, and silver, to recognize the variety. The beauty of a gray diamond is in the balance it offers – it’s not as traditional as colorless diamonds nor as irregular as black diamonds. It has just the right touch of mystery and irregularity.
Gray diamonds are also relatively affordable compared to most other hued diamonds. With their exceptional durability (10 Mohs) and sparkle, these diamonds are ideal for a non-conventional piece of jewelry.
2. Gray Moonstone
Of all the gray gemstone options, moonstone is probably the most notable and sought-after. It’s usually translucent in appearance and ranges in variety from colorless to dark gray.
While moonstone is an attractive gemstone, it’s not profoundly durable (6 to 6.5 Mohs) and doesn’t suit jewelry that gets exposed. It’s suitable for pendants, earrings, bracelets, hair combs, and other types of jewelry that are more protected. Moonstone rings aren’t prescribed because of the stone’s relatively softness, however, whenever taken reasonable care of, they can last quite a while.
Moonstones are often sliced en cabochon to enhance the luster and smooth sheen of the stone, although they’re sometimes faceted as well. Raw unpolished gray moonstone has an eye-catching rustic simplicity that is beautiful when set into all-around crafted jewelry.
3. Gray Agate
Agate is a typical gemstone that comes in almost every shade of the rainbow. Of these, gray agate is typically found in either a unicolor appearance or banded with layers of white.
Agate is often translucent, which makes it ideal for cabochons. Gray agate has a smooth, beautiful sheen and a waxy to vitreous luster. Because of its affordability, it’s an astounding gemstone for all types of jewelry, particularly large costume pieces. Agate has great durability (Mohs 7) and doesn’t need a lot of maintenance.
4. Mother of Pearl Gemstones
Mother-of-pearl is made of nacre, similar to traditional pearls, yet it’s taken from the inner layers of the mollusk’s shell. This organic substance is exceptionally iridescent and can be made into various types of jewelry as well as carvings and figurines. It is ideal for carvings and inlay jewelry, as well as pendants and earrings, yet not so much for rings. Like all organic gemstones, mother-of-pearl is soft (2.5 to 4.5 Moh) and can easily get damaged or scratched.
Mother-of-pearl is opaque to translucent in appearance and has a pearly luster. It’s easily available and entirely affordable, making it a great alternative to pearls. Note that mother-of-pearl ranges in variety and is generally faint gray.
Because of its iridescence, it is especially beautiful when seen under lights in jewelry that allows for development. This enhances its sparkle and exhibits the colors that flash from the gemstone.
5. Gray Pearl
Pearls are traditionally white, however, they arrive in an array of colors. Gray pearls are an ideal break from tradition while still exhibiting the luster and sophisticated look that pearls are famous for.
Gray pearls arrive in a range of hues, from a faint dusty gray to a darker, metallic gunmetal gray. Most gray pearls on the market are refined and often enhanced.
Like all organic gemstones, they’re exceptionally soft, ranking at just 2.5 on the Mohs scale. Gray pearls are easily abraded and can break or chip if subject to heavy pressure. They are not ideal to be worn in everyday jewelry and require proper care and maintenance to keep them lustrous and protected.
6. Gray Labradorite
Labradorite is a plagioclase feldspar, among the most widely recognized and abundantly tracked down minerals. It’s anything but an exceptionally hard gemstone (6 to 6.5 Mohs) however because of its compact structure, it is a tough stone. It’s used in all types of jewelry yet is especially beautiful when set in bohemian and gypsy styles. However, it can work in stylish and sophisticated designs too, as seen in the image above.
Labradorite is typically gray or gray-black in appearance, yet its iridescence gives it a bright and dynamic look. This iridescence is known as labradorescence – a flashy display of variety that occurs in opaque varieties of labradorite.
Transparent labradorites are beautiful however they don’t display this iridescent and aren’t as valuable as the opaque varieties. Most gray labradorite will have this desirable labradorescence because of the dark body tone.
7. Gray Chalcedony Gemstones
Another normal gemstone, gray chalcedony is abundant and affordable. It has an opaque to waxy luster, and the microcrystalline structure of the gemstone gives it its characteristic toughness. What this means is that the gemstone does not contain any crystal formations within it however is instead smooth, compact, and tough.
What’s more, gray chalcedony has no cleavage which refers to a gemstone’s inclination to break. This, combined with the stone’s hardness ranking of 6.5 to 7 Mohs, makes gray chalcedony ideal for all types of jewelry.
8. Gray Tourmaline Gemstones
Tourmaline is known as the rainbow gemstone because it comes in all colors. While gray isn’t its most popular variety, gray tourmaline makes for stunning jewelry. It’s also reasonably evaluated and easily available.
Gray tourmaline has a vitreous luster and is often faceted to enhance its brilliance. It has incredible transparency and sparkle and is also a durable gemstone (Mohs 7 to 7.5). These gemstones are also resistant to breakage.
Gray tourmaline is often liberated from visible inclusions and has awesome clarity. They can be cut into traditional gemstone shapes such as the emerald cut, pear, marquise and brilliant shapes, and other exceptional fancy cuts.
9. Fluorite
Fluorite is a mineral that typically forms in a cubic or octahedral crystal structure, although it can also happen in other shapes. It is regularly tracked down in a variety of colors, including gray, purple, blue, green, yellow, and clear. Fluorite is known for its fluorescence, which means it glows under ultraviolet light.
In terms of hardness, fluorite has a Mohs hardness scale rating of 4, which means it is relatively soft compared to other gemstones. This means that it is susceptible to scratches and damage on the off chance that it is not handled carefully. Despite this, fluorite is still a popular gemstone because of its remarkable colors and fluorescent properties, as well as its use in various industries such as the production of aluminum and other metals.
10. Hematite
Hematite is a mineral that is regularly found in iron metal deposits around the world. It is often alluded to as a “healing stone” because of its trusted therapeutic properties. The name hematite comes from the Greek word for blood, as it has a reddish-earthy colored tone when powdered.
Hematite has a distinctive metallic luster and is one of the heaviest minerals on Earth. It has a hardness of about 5.5-6.5 on the Mohs scale, which means it is relatively durable and resistant to scratches. Hematite is used in a variety of applications, including as a shade for paint and in the production of iron and steel. It is also a popular gemstone, often used in jewelry and other decorative objects because of its metallic shine and extraordinary appearance.