Rarity of Colored Gemstones

When most people think of rare gemstones, diamonds are often the first thing that comes to mind. Diamonds have been marketed for decades as symbols of rarity, permanence, and value. In reality, many natural colored gemstones—especially faceted stones—are significantly rarer than diamonds, both geologically and commercially.

Understanding gemstone rarity requires looking beyond marketing and into geology, formation, supply, and cutting realities. This article explains what makes colored gemstones rare, why most of them are faceted, and how they compare to diamonds in terms of true scarcity.

What Does “Rarity” Mean in Gemstones?

In gemology, rarity is not determined by popularity or price alone. True gemstone rarity is influenced by several factors:

• how often the material forms in nature
• how much of it is gem-quality
• how difficult it is to mine
• how much survives cutting
• how often fine examples appear on the market

A gemstone can be visually stunning yet extremely rare, even if it isn’t widely known to the public.

Diamonds: Common in Nature, Controlled in Supply

Diamonds are remarkable stones, but geologically speaking, they are not rare.

Diamonds are found in large quantities worldwide, with consistent production from major mining operations. Millions of carats are mined annually, and a high percentage of diamonds are suitable for faceting due to their hardness and structural consistency.

What many people interpret as rarity is often the result of:

• controlled supply
• grading-based pricing
• market segmentation
• strong branding

This does not diminish diamonds as gemstones—but it does mean their perceived rarity is often misunderstood.

Why Colored Gemstones Are Often Rarer Than Diamonds

Most colored gemstones form under very specific geological conditions, and gem-quality material is only a small fraction of what is mined.

In many cases:

• only a tiny percentage of mined material is facetable
• color saturation may be inconsistent
• clarity may be limited
• crystals may be small or fractured

As a result, fine faceted colored gemstones can be exceptionally rare, especially in sizes suitable for jewelry.

Faceted Colored Gemstones and Natural Scarcity

Many of the world’s most sought-after colored gemstones are traditionally faceted because faceting best displays their optical properties, brilliance, and color.

Examples include:

• Sapphire and ruby – Fine, untreated stones with strong color are rare, especially in larger sizes
• Spinel – Historically overlooked, yet naturally rare and increasingly collectible
• Tourmaline – Certain colors and localities produce limited, inconsistent material
• Aquamarine – Clean, deeply colored stones suitable for precision faceting are uncommon
• Garnet varieties – Some types are scarce in fine clarity and color
• Topaz – Natural, untreated stones with strong color are limited
• Zircon – Natural zircon with good color and clarity is far rarer than commonly assumed
• Chrysoberyl – Especially rare in fine color and clean faceted material
• Sunstone – Certain varieties with clean structure and optical effects are limited to specific sources

Unlike diamonds, many of these materials cannot be mined at scale, and their availability fluctuates dramatically year to year.

Why Most Colored Gemstones Are Faceted

Faceting is used when a gemstone has:

• sufficient hardness
• good transparency
• the ability to reflect and refract light

For many colored gemstones, faceting is the best way to:

• maximize brilliance
• concentrate color
• enhance optical performance
• preserve structural integrity

Because high-quality rough is limited, each faceted stone represents a careful balance between beauty, yield, and rarity.

Geographic Rarity and Single-Source Stones

Another major factor in gemstone rarity is geographic limitation.

Many colored gemstones come from:

• a single region
• a small number of mines
• deposits that are now exhausted or inaccessible

When a source closes or production slows, availability can disappear for years—or permanently. This is one reason why certain colored gemstones suddenly become difficult to replace, even for professionals.

Treatments and Transparency

Most gemstones on the market today undergo some form of treatment, particularly heat treatment. This is common, accepted, and often stable.

What matters most is:

• disclosure
• stability
• impact on rarity

In some cases, untreated stones are far rarer than treated equivalents. In others, treatment is necessary to make material usable at all. Transparency allows buyers to understand what they’re purchasing and why certain stones command higher value.

Why Colored Gemstones Are Often One-of-a-Kind

Unlike diamonds, which are cut to standardized proportions, colored gemstones vary widely in:

• shape
• color zoning
• internal structure
• optical behavior

This means most faceted colored gemstones are individual by nature, even before artistic cutting is considered. Two stones of the same species may look completely different.

For collectors, this individuality is part of the appeal.

Collectors, Value, and Long-Term Interest

Collectors often gravitate toward faceted colored gemstones because they offer:

• true geological rarity
• limited supply
• visual individuality
• artistic variation
• connection to specific sources or cutters

While not all colored gemstones are investment pieces, many become more desirable as availability decreases and education increases.

Diamonds vs. Colored Gemstones: A Simple Comparison

• Diamonds: abundant in nature, standardized, widely available
• Colored gemstones: often scarce, inconsistent, source-limited, and unique

Both have their place in jewelry—but rarity is not always where people expect it to be.

Explore Natural Colored Gemstones

If you’re interested in faceted colored gemstones chosen for beauty, rarity, and individuality, you can explore available stones curated for collectors and designers.

View Available Colored Gemstones

If you’re looking for something specific—or want to commission a custom-cut gemstone designed around color and rarity—you can also learn more about custom gemstone cutting services.