Best Gemstones for Necklaces and Pendants

Necklaces protect the stone, so this is where softer beauties shine. Here are the best picks.

1. Paraiba Tourmaline · Mohs 7.25 · $1,000 to $20,000/ct. A copper-bearing tourmaline famous for its electric neon blue-green glow, among the most prized colored gems.
2. Diamond · Mohs 10 · $1,000 to $15,000/ct. The hardest natural material and a long-standing symbol of enduring love, strength, and commitment.
3. Alexandrite · Mohs 8.5 · $500 to $10,000/ct. Famous for changing color from green in daylight to red under incandescent light, it is linked to balance…
4. Red Beryl · Mohs 7.75 · $2,000 to $10,000/ct. An extremely rare red member of the beryl family found mainly in Utah. Its scarcity has long made it a…
5. Padparadscha Sapphire · Mohs 9 · $500 to $8,000/ct. A rare pink-orange sapphire named for the lotus blossom, prized for its delicate blend of warmth and softness.
6. Taaffeite · Mohs 8 · $1,500 to $8,000/ct. One of the rarest gemstones in the world, first identified from a cut stone rather than in the rough.…
7. Ruby · Mohs 9 · $100 to $5,000/ct. A symbol of passion, vitality, and protection. Fine ruby is among the most valuable colored gemstones per…
8. Emerald · Mohs 7.5 · $100 to $4,000/ct. Associated with renewal, growth, and the heart. Its lush green has signaled wealth and status across many…
9. Benitoite · Mohs 6.5 · $800 to $4,000/ct. A rare blue gem found in gem quality only in California, where it is the official state gem. Famed for…
10. Grandidierite · Mohs 7.5 · $500 to $4,000/ct. A rare bluish green gem first found in Madagascar and named for explorer Alfred Grandidier. Its glowing teal…
11. Lab-Grown Diamond · Mohs 10 · $400 to $3,000/ct. Chemically identical to a mined diamond but grown in a lab, offering the same brilliance and hardness at a…
12. Demantoid Garnet · Mohs 6.75 · $200 to $3,000/ct. A rare brilliant green garnet prized for its high dispersion and fire, linked to vitality and prosperity.
13. Black Diamond · Mohs 10 · $200 to $3,000/ct. An opaque black diamond valued for bold modern style and associated with strength, confidence, and protection.
14. Sapphire · Mohs 9 · $50 to $2,000/ct. Long linked to wisdom, loyalty, and nobility. Blue sapphire is a classic engagement-ring center stone and a…
15. Jade · Mohs 6.75 · $20 to $2,000/ct. Revered in many cultures, especially in East Asia, as a stone of harmony, prosperity, and good luck.
16. Tsavorite Garnet · Mohs 7 · $100 to $2,000/ct. A bright green garnet from East Africa associated with vitality, abundance, and renewal.
17. Spinel · Mohs 8 · $50 to $1,500/ct. Long mistaken for ruby in royal jewels, spinel is associated with energy, renewal, and vitality.
18. Imperial Topaz · Mohs 8 · $100 to $1,500/ct. The prized pink to golden-orange variety of topaz, historically linked to royalty, abundance, and warmth.
19. Tanzanite · Mohs 6.5 · $100 to $1,200/ct. A rare gem found only near Mount Kilimanjaro, associated with transformation and insight.
20. Opal · Mohs 5.75 · $10 to $1,000/ct. Prized for its play-of-color and linked to creativity, inspiration, and emotional expression.
21. Chrysoberyl · Mohs 8.5 · $50 to $1,000/ct. A very hard golden gem, with cat's eye varieties prized as protective talismans of foresight and good fortune.
22. Moissanite · Mohs 9.25 · $200 to $800/ct. A lab-created diamond alternative prized for exceptional brilliance and fire at a fraction of diamond cost.…
23. Spessartite Garnet · Mohs 7 · $50 to $800/ct. A vivid orange garnet associated with creativity, confidence, and joyful energy.
24. Tourmaline · Mohs 7.25 · $20 to $800/ct. A gem family spanning nearly every color, including bicolor watermelon stones, traditionally tied to balance…

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