A time-honored token of passion and romance, nothing expresses love better than the warmhearted gift of an exquisite red or pink gemstone. Whether your dearest is man or woman, five or fifty, sweet or sexy, the perfect expression of your love can be presented as one of these ten beautiful keepsake jewels.
Rose Quartz: The Love Stone
Known as “the love stone,” also as a stimulant for the heart and love, sexual energy, and to enhance fertility, powder-pink, rose quartz is readily available and won’t break the bank. Usually found in cabochons and beads, this transparent to translucent quartz makes beautiful jewelry. For truly outstanding pieces, there are very rare, faceted, stones.
Garnet: Gorgeous Red Rhodolite, Spessartite and Almandine
Garnets are a group of gems that come in almost every color. Most varieties are widely available. Brilliant, durable, and valued for gorgeous, purplish-red color, the exceptional garnet rhodolite can be found in a range of sizes. Spessartite, in fiery red, orangy-red, and bright orange, is another knock-out. Sultry, dark-red almandine is most affordable.
Coral: Prized Oxblood Red and Angel Skin Colors
For something extraordinary, yet, not faceted, red and pink coral make stunning cabochon and bead jewelry, as well as cameos and carvings. Worn and collected for thousands of years, coral of intense, bright “oxblood red” is highly prized, as well as delicate, blush-colored “angel skin.”
Tourmaline: Stunning Pink Rubellite is Excellent
Like garnet, tourmaline includes several stones that are related but different. Stunning, brightly colored, red and pink specimens called rubellite can be quite rare and are excellent for jewelry. Historically some rubellite has been mistaken for ruby.
Morganite: Feminine Jewel Nurtures Love
Morganite is said to instill and nurture love. Feminine, subtle, soft pink and salmon colored, fine morganite is not common. It is very crystalline, usually medium to large in size, and, most often, larger gems show more intense color.
Spinel: Good Enough for Crown Jewels
For centuries, like rubellite, spinel has been mistaken for ruby. Brilliant, durable, and highly desirable, spinel is found in crown jewels around the world. It appears in nearly all colors, including innumerable reds and pinks. Most desired is vivid, ruby red. Other coveted hues include hot pink, fuchsia, and the orangy-red “flame spinel.” Spinel is more rare than ruby, and costs a fraction of ruby’s price.
Red Beryl: Rare, Collector Gem
Red beryl, or bixbite, is extraordinarily rare. Only one known site in the world produces gems suitable for faceting. Like its sister stone, emerald, often, this outstanding stone has inclusions. However, the fabulous, intense, red color – coupled with its unrivaled rareness – make this a true collector gem.
Sapphire: Extraordinary Gem of Many Colors
Fine sapphire of many colors, including pinks and the highly sought “padparadscha” orange-pink, make extraordinary, beautiful, forever jewelry. Clean stones with vivid, intense colors are most valued and are quite pricey. If pretty pastel shades are preferred, bargains may follow.
Ruby: Most Valued Jewel
Magnificent ruby ranges in color from medium pink to blood red. Most coveted is rich red with blue undertones called “pigeon blood red.” Ruby is associated with love, passion and power. For thousands of years this superior stone has been considered the most valued gem on earth.
Pink Diamond and Red Diamond: Unsurpassed Brilliance and Hardness
Diamond, with unsurpassed brilliance, hardness, crystal, and fire, is a spectacular bestowal for any sweetheart. And, it comes in many colors. How about an extremely rare and beautiful pink diamond? Still, if you really want to impress, have something no one else has, and the sky is the limit, then, you may try to find your valentine a diamond in the rarest color of all... red. However, don’t be in a hurry, red diamonds are near impossible to find!
Claire Eddins - Writer/editor, award-winning photographer Claire Eddins collects gems, horses, and obsesses over home, art, and design.
