Red Gemstones: Most Popular Red Precious and Semi Precious Stones

Red gemstones symbolize passion, love, and vitality, making them a popular choice for expressing strong emotions, especially for engagement rings. Do you know which gemstones are red? Which red gemstones are suitable for everyday wear? Which red gemstone is the best? The most popular? Most affordable? And most expensive? In this article, we will explore red gemstones, listing the most popular and common ones, while providing detailed descriptions of each red gemstone’s hues, characteristics, and meanings to help you choose the one that suits you best!

To better distinguish the quality of red gemstones, we will categorize them into two groups: red precious stones and red semi precious stones. You can browse the section that interests you.

Table Of Contents

• Precious Red Stones  
• Semi Precious Red Stones
• Final Thoughts
• FAQs About Red Gemstones

Among the 4 precious stones (diamond, ruby, sapphire, emerald), how many come in red? You might have guessed it already. They are:  

• Red Diamond
• Ruby

Red diamonds are the most precious red gemstones and the rarest, most expensive type of diamond. Pink and blue diamonds are already known for being extremely pricey, but the price of red diamonds is 3-4 times higher. Due to the extremely rare conditions required for their formation, red diamonds not only have a very low production rate but are also typically under 1 carat. The largest red diamond known to date weighs just 5.11 carats. The color of a red diamond is evaluated based on its hues and saturation, with pure red being the highest quality, while secondary hues such as purplish-red or brownish-red lower the quality. Due to the extreme rarity of red diamonds, some jewelers attempt to cut and polish deep pink diamonds to achieve a red diamond rating, but this technique is very difficult and rarely successful.

Diamonds are the hardest gemstone (Mohs hardness of 10) and are also the birthstone for April, as well as the anniversary stone for the 10th and 60th years of marriage. Red diamonds are seen as symbols of passion, love, and strength. If you’re looking to obtain this rare red gemstone as a proposal ring, your best option is to customize a lab-grown red diamond ring. It shares the same chemical, physical, and optical properties as a natural red diamond, but at a more affordable price.

Garnet refers to a group of silicate minerals, not just one! For this reason, it’s often called the “Garnet Family.” Many people associate garnet with the color red, but this family comes in almost every color. So, which types of garnets are red?

The most common red garnets are of two types: Almandine (Fe₃Al₂(SiO₄)₃ ）and Pyrope (Mg₃Al₂(SiO₄)₃. Almandine typically ranges from intense orange-red to deep red, and sometimes has purplish-red or red-violet undertones. Pyrope generally appears in hues from pink to dark red, with red being the most prominent. Some chromium-rich pyropes exhibit thermochromism, turning green when heated, leading some jewelers to use these stones for “mood rings.”

Another member of the garnet family that can also appear red is Grossular (Ca₃Al₂(SiO₄)₃ ). Unlike the other two, whose primary color is red, grossula’s dominant hue is cinnamon, with red being just one of several colors it can display, though it’s less common.

The garnet family has a Mohs hardness of 6.5-7.5, making it quite durable. As the birthstone for January and the 17th anniversary stone, garnet symbolizes chastity, friendship, and loyalty.

Tourmaline, the birthstone for October, is a multi-colored semi precious stone, with black being the most common and red the rarest. Since 1794, red tourmaline has also been called Rubellite, derived from the Latin word “rubellus,” meaning “reddish.” Rubellite comes in a wide range of colors, from pinkish-red to deep red, with burgundy being the most valuable. A unique variety of tourmaline that contains red is Watermelon Tourmaline, which combines red and green, resembling a watermelon. With moderate hardness (Mohs hardness of 7-7.5), tourmaline is suitable for both jewelry and carving into art pieces. Red tourmaline is believed to symbolize energy, bringing passion, vitality, and a positive mindset.

Opal jewelry experienced a new wave of popularity at the end of 2023, sparked by a giant opal ring that appeared on Taylor Swift’s hand at one of her parties. Many people speculated that it was an engagement ring from her boyfriend, contributing to the opal trend.

October birthstone opals come in many varieties, including fire opals. Fire opal is transparent to translucent opal with warm hues of yellow, orange, and red. It is mainly found in Mexico, hence its other name, “Mexican Opal.” This unique red semi precious stone usually does not display color play and is relatively soft (Mohs hardness of 5.5-6), requiring careful wear. As a result, opal pendants are a more ideal jewelry choice than rings, as they avoid much of the wear and tear.

Alexandrite is a unique purplish-red semi precious stone known for its color-changing properties, also called the “Alexandrite Effect.” It appears emerald green in daylight and purplish-red under incandescent light, making it highly prized. Natural alexandrite is extremely rare and highly durable (Mohs hardness of 8.5), making alexandrite rings a popular choice for engagement rings. It is also one of the birthstones for June and the 55th-anniversary gemstone. Additionally, alexandrite symbolizes transformation and adaptability.

As the November birthstone, topaz is undeniably beautiful, with blue topaz being the most popular color. The rarest is red topaz, which typically has red as its dominant hue, often accompanied by orange undertones. Deep red topaz is known as “Imperial Red Topaz,” the 23rd wedding anniversary gemstone and the most precious variety of topaz. This red semi precious stone has high transparency and brilliance and is very resistant to wear (Mohs hardness of 8), making topaz jewelry ideal for everyday wear. Red topaz, with its vibrant and striking color, is often associated with passion, energy, and love.

Red coral, known as the “Ruby of the Sea,” is an organic gemstone that grows in deep waters, far from land, at depths ranging from tens to thousands of meters. Its skeleton is red or pink with a fine texture, and it takes hundreds of years to grow into the precious red coral we see today, making it highly valuable. Red coral comes in many varieties and can be classified by origin and color, such as momo coral, sardine coral, and akabo coral. In Eastern cultures, red coral is considered a symbol of good fortune, protection, and peace, while in the West, it symbolizes love and beauty.

Since red coral grows at a rate of only about 5 millimeters per year and environmental concerns are increasingly emphasized, red coral jewelry is now discouraged. Red coral is relatively soft (Mohs hardness of 3.5-4), making it unsuitable for everyday wear. If you love this red gemstone, make sure to purchase second-hand or sustainably sourced coral.

Yes, you read that right—I’m introducing red aventurine. While this gemstone is most commonly green, there’s a common misconception that aventurine only comes in green. In fact, it exists in other natural hues, with red being the rarest color (ranging from light red to deep red). The unique aspect of red aventurine is the golden flecks that often shimmer against its red base. These flecks, made up of tiny mineral crystals, sparkle in the light, giving the stone a majestic appearance. Red aventurine has moderate hardness (Mohs hardness of 6.5), so it requires careful handling when worn. It is believed to boost vitality, improve blood circulation, and bring good luck.

Many people confuse red aventurine with red sunstone. The difference is that sunstone has higher transparency and lacks the banded inclusions often found in red aventurine, which is typically opaque with banded inclusions.

Do not confuse red quartz with red crystal. Strictly speaking, there is no such thing as “red crystal.” Crystal refers to quartz with almost no impurities, forming in a hexagonal prismatic structure, and this form, there is no red color. (Because the term “crystal” sounds more appealing, people often use it to refer to quartz.)

Red quartz, also known as hematite quartz, has a striking red color, sometimes with brownish undertones. The red color in red quartz mainly comes from hematite inclusions. This gemstone is quite durable (Mohs hardness of 7) and is commonly used in jewelry, often at affordable prices. Red quartz is considered a gemstone full of energy and vitality.

Within the category of red quartz, there are two special types—red rutilated quartz and strawberry quartz. These types of red quartz are not entirely red. Red rutilated quartz contains needle-like rutile crystals, which are red or brown, arranged in a radiating or parallel manner within the quartz, resembling strands of hair. Strawberry quartz contains numerous needle-like rutile inclusions, which are red or brown and dispersed throughout the quartz, giving it a spotted appearance similar to strawberries (though strawberry quartz is more often pink in color).

This article lists 27 types of red gemstones, including 2 red precious stones and 25 red semi precious stones. I hope the details provided help you find the perfect red gemstone for you!  

MollyJewelryUS offers ethically sourced and sustainable gemstones, including a variety of red gemstones, so feel free to shop with confidence! We also support customized, personalized jewelry!