Blue gemstones: name, meaning, best jewelry and curiosities

Blue is quite a sought-after color in jewelry. Blue gemstones have been used since ancient times to adorn various jewelry pieces, and today they continue to be of great appeal to the public. Below, we will describe the 15 most coveted types of blue gemstones.

Sapphire

Although there is a range of different colored sapphires, the blue variety is the most commonly used in jewelry. These blue gems have a transparent appearance and are distinguished from others by their unparalleled ability to reflect external light. The use of sapphires in jewelry dates back to half a century B.C., in Sri Lanka, the most important producer of this blue gemstone. It is believed that King Solomon collected jewelry with blue sapphires and courted Queen Sheba with it.

Spinel

It has been gaining recognition among the public for its versatility and beauty. Spinel can be quite dark, but the medium blue tones have a privileged saturation that is a sight to behold. The common synthetic spinel is inexpensive and is used to simulate much more expensive gems.

(plazagems)

Tourmaline

Tourmaline is a type of blue gemstone that is quite rare and difficult to find, so its value is significantly high. The blue-colored ones are called indicolites and their tonality comes from small amounts of iron in their composition. To be used in jewelry, some go through a thermal procedure to clarify the color, thus resulting in a light blue gemstone that is highly sought after for incorporation in rings and earrings such as these:

Blue Diamond

They are quite expensive and elegant, and they tend to be very brilliant. Blue diamonds were for centuries a mystery as to their color, until it was finally determined that the hue is due to the traces of boron they contain. Boron is a chemical element that is introduced into the diamond crystal structure during its formation.

(Hope diamond - Sam Jotham Sutharson)

Aquamarine

This gemstone is characterized by having a watery blue tone combined with green. Aquamarine does not become a dark blue stone like sapphires and tourmaline, but when it has a dark shade of gray, it has much more value. According to tradition, it was used in the past as a talisman of protection for sailors.

Blue Jadetite

This gemstone is only found in Guatemala, and it is said to be one of the favorite blue gems of the Mayas. It is quite rare and is one of the hardest in existence, in fact, if you hit it with a hammer, the sound it emits is similar to a bell. It has various shades of blue to gray.

Turquoise

Turquoise is considered the most popular gem among blue stones and crystals.  Its hue can range from the lightest blue to green, depending on the amount of iron and copper in its composition. It is said that its name comes from the French word "pierre turquoise", which alludes to Turkey, as a commercial gateway to Europe in the 16th century.

 Jeremejevite

This blue gemstone is one of the rarest in the world and is found in very few places. Those from Namibia have an aquamarine blue tone, while those from other mines have a more consolidated blue color. It is a blue gemstone that has no cleavage and is resistant enough to be worked into jewelry.

Chalcedony

Chalcedony is one of the most common blue gemstone names on the market because of its beauty and low cost. These characteristics have led to a resurgence in its popularity among buyers. Those with intense blue tones are called chrysocolla, and there are others with secondary tones such as gray or lavender.

Dumortierite

It belongs to the family of fibrous minerals, and its watery blue hue can reach up to dark purple. It is an extremely rare stone that can be worn in a blue stone necklace, on a bracelet or as a single pearl.

 

Apatite

It comes in a wide range of colors, including blue. It is a phosphate mineral that tends to present light and dark blue tones, going through neon blue, electric blue, and some that intermingle green and blue. Furthermore, it is of great transparency and has an enviable luster to add to various jewelry pieces.

(Didier Descouens, CC BY 3.0)

Benitoite

It is only found in a single deposit located in San Benito, California, from where its name comes from, and its tonality resembles the intense blue sapphire. It can be considered a relatively new blue gemstone because it was only discovered in 1907. Its price per carat is quite high due to its rarity and difficulty in obtaining it.

(Rob Lavinsky, CC BY-SA 3.0)

Tanzanite

It is a stone that has gained much popularity in recent years as a more economical blue gemstone option than sapphire. It has intense blue and violet tones that result from the heat processes it is subjected to for use in jewelry. Its name comes from the place of its discovery in Tanzania in 1967, in the Mererani Hills.

Cavansite

Cavansite has a particularity called pleochroism that makes it really striking; when the stone is viewed from different angles, it seems to have different tones, depending on the lighting it receives. It is one of the strangest blue gems and comes from the Poona area in India.

Moonstone

It is a blue gemstone with adularescence. This phenomenon is a blue or white reflection that can be observed inside the moonstone, and the blue tone gives the sensation of movement, depending on the angle of the light received by the stone. In Hindu mythology, it is considered a sacred stone associated with feminine energy.