Types of Stones
Stones We Work With
We go to great lengths to make sure we are only sourcing sustainably and ethically sourced gemstones and diamonds. See below for more detail on the type of stones we can provide: lab or ethically mined diamonds, salt and pepper diamonds, rubies, emeralds, sapphires, moissanite and semi-precious gemstones.
Diamonds
| TYPE | ETHICALLY MINED DIAMONDS | LAB GROWN DIAMONDS |
|---|---|---|
| ABOUT | The quality of white diamonds is based off of the 4 Cs. Please see Diamond Shapes and 4 Cs for more details. | The quality of white lab diamonds is also based off of the 4 Cs. Please see Diamond Shapes and 4 Cs for more details. |
| QUALITY | Mined diamonds are a 10 on the MOHS hardness scale, making them an excellent choice for an engagement ring. | Lab diamonds are a 10 on the MOHS hardness scale, making them an excellent choice for an engagement ring. |
| CARE | Clean your diamond with warm water, a soft brush and any detergent. | Clean your diamond with warm water, a soft brush and any detergent. |
| ORIGIN | They are found primarily in Congo, Australia and Russia, but also in Canada. | They are grown under controlled laboratory conditions that simulate the natural process of diamond formation in the earth's mantle, resulting in identical durability, sparkle, and overall performance. |
| FUN FACT | The name diamond is derived from the ancient Greek word meaning “unalterable,” “untamed” and “unbreakable.” | Lab diamonds are renewable so the cutters can spend a lot of time focusing on maximizing sparkle. They are also a very sustainable, eco-friendly option. |
Precious Stones
| TYPE | SAPPHIRE | MONTANA SAPPHIRES | RUBIES | EMERALDS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ABOUT & TREATMENT | Approximately 95% of the sapphires in the world have been heat treated. The 5% that aren’t heat treated are very rare and valuable. The heating process improves the color, clarity and overall appearance. | They come from three places in Montana making them a very ethical choice for a stone. They are all heat treated and this doesn’t require any special care. | Rubies come from several places around the globe, including Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Thailand, Australia, Cambodia and Brazil. Most rubies are treated in some way and heat treatment is most common. | While emeralds are found all over the world, the majority of them come from Colombia. The next largest producer is Zambia. Most emeralds are oiled as part of the post-lapidary process. This needs to be disclosed when buying an emerald as oiled emeralds aren’t as valuable as non-treated stones. |
| QUALITY | Quality is based off of color, clarity, inclusions, transparency, cut, weight, treatment, and origin. | Quality is based off of color, clarity, inclusions, transparency, cut, treatment, and weight. | Quality is based off of color, clarity, inclusions, transparency, cut, weight, treatment, and origin. | Quality is based off of color primarily and clarity (high transparency) as a close second, treatment, cut, and carat weight. |
| DURABILITY | Sapphires are a 9 on the MOHS hardness scale and therefore a great option for an engagement ring. | Montana Sapphires are a 9 on the MOHS hardness scale and therefore a great option for an engagement ring. | Rubies are a 9 on the MOHS hardness scale and therefore a great option for an engagement ring. | Emeralds are a 7.5 - 8 on the MOHS hardness scale, making them somewhat soft for an engagement ring. Our advice: Make sure to insure your emerald ring so it is covered if it cracks. |
| CARE | Clean your sapphire with warm water, a soft brush and any detergent. | Clean your Montana Sapphire with warm water, a soft brush and any detergent. | Clean your ruby with warm water, a soft brush and any detergent. | Clean your emerald with warm water, a soft brush and mild detergent. |
| FUN FACT | Sapphires come in every color of the rainbow! If you’re looking for something a little more unique, ask us about the colors we can source. Some of our favorites have been a teal blue color. | They were used in a line of Tiffany and Co. jewelry in 1900. They come in very small sizes making them perfect accent stones and can be found up to a 2 carat size, but the larger sizes are much more rare. | Rubies come in many shades, but the most valuable are bright red and are referred to as “blood-red” or “pigeon-blood.” The Sunrise Ruby is the most expensive ruby and colored gemstone in the world. It sold in 2015 for $30 million. | Unlike diamonds that are graded with a x10 loupe, emeralds are graded with the naked eye. |
Semi-precious
Here are some of the most common semi-precious gemstones we have worked with. Have another stone in mind? Let us know and we can most likely find it for you!
| TYPE | MORGANITE | AQUAMARINE |
|---|---|---|
| ABOUT & TREATMENT | Morganite is typically heat treated and occasionally irradiated. | Aquamarine is typically heat treated. |
| QUALITY | While there isn’t a grading scale for morganite, the quality is based off of color, hue and tone. | While there isn’t a grading scale for aquamarine, the quality is based off of color (a light blue/green), hue, tone and transparency. |
| DURABILITY | Morganite is between 7.5 - 8 on the MOHS hardness scale and therefore a somewhat less durable option for an engagement ring. | Aquamarine is between 7.5 - 8 on the MOHS hardness scale and therefore a somewhat less durable option for an engagement ring. |
| CARE | Clean your morganite with warm water, a soft brush and any detergent | Clean your aquamarine with warm water, a soft brush and any detergent. |
| FUN FACT | Morganite was named after financier JP Morgan. | Hey Coloradans, aquamarine is the official stone of Colorado. |
Ethically Sourced Stones
Looking for ethically sourced stones? Try Montana Sapphires, Canadian Diamonds, Lab Diamonds, Moissanite, or heirloom stones. (We are happy to work with your existing heirloom stones, whether it be a diamond or gemstone.)
