When in desperate need of a gift idea, you can always rely on accessories garnished with gems and precious stones to leave an impression. Granted, that can only happen assuming you are prepared to lift quite a bit of weight from your pockets. Even the cheapest of gemstones require significant financial sacrifices but, fortunately, there are some that can actually be accessible to anyone with a humble income after a few rounds of savings.
These gemstones are examples that you can leave a lasting impression with the aid of a beautiful product that looks considerably expensive but isn’t quite so.
#1 Tiger’s Eye
Tiger’s eye is a variety of the much more valuable gemstone called “cat’s eye.” It’s often the first choice of those who wish to get their hand on a stone that combines quality with a good pricing. How good is it? The most common variety of the gemstone, the one colored in black and yellow, can be purchased for no more than a few dollars per carat.
#2 Amethyst
Once the most expensive gemstone in the world, the abundance of amethyst resources and mines have gradually lowered the prices merchants attach to this lavender shaded stone. It’s very popular among people of all classes and for a good reason too. Not only is it beautiful looking (like a violet crystal) but even the most refined specimen doesn’t really go beyond $10 per carat.
#3 Pearls
Pearls are generally considered to be staples of everything refined and exquisite, so to think that they may be affordable even to the lighter pockets – that sounds almost too good to be true. Surely, high class pearls can reach values that go beyond ten thousands of dollars, some of them being even deemed as essentially priceless. Luckily, we have Freshwater pearls, a pearl specimen that maintains the quality appeal and mixes it with generous offers. Some necklaces can be bought for as little as $100.
Head to pearlsonly.co.uk to see a selection of Freshwater pearls.
#4 Rose Quartz
Since there’s a clear correlation between affordable prices and how common a gemstone is, there’s no wonder that quartz is such an accessible mineral. After all, it’s the second most abundant one on Earth, second only to feldspar. Its most sought-after breed is the rose quartz, beloved by jewelers for its soft, pale rose hue.
#5 Citrine
Derived from amethyst, citrine isn’t necessarily a common gemstone, but it wholly makes up for it through the fact that it can be easily fabricated in a lab. Crafted from a combination of amethyst and quartz, it gains a characteristic yellowish-brown shade. Given how amethyst is already common enough, the prices of the much easier to find citrine are even lower.
#6 Agate
Maybe agate isn’t exactly the perfect gemstone to buy when trying to impress your significant other with a piece of jewelry, but it’s eye-catchy enough to be used as a stunning decoration. The most impressive thing about agate is its variety – it comes in many colors, as well as textures. From blue to pink, to moss and from opaque to translucent exteriors, agates are a real sight to behold.
Head to gemrockauctions.com to see a variety of auctioned agates and their prices.
#7 Turquoise
Colored in a shade so special that it had a whole new hue named after it, turquoise is a gemstone that will always enhance any accessory it’s attached to. Being fairly common, it’s also rather inexpensive. The value of a turquoise accessory often drops as a result of color treatments meant to brighten the color. Be careful, though, because some frauds try to trick clueless buyers into acquiring howlite instead of turquoise, which a stone very similar.
#8 Onyx
No other gemstone calls to mind a pure pitch black color quite the way onyx does. Its affordability mainly comes from the fact that it can be found in large quantities and in big masses. A good proof of that is the fact that some sculptors have carved entire statues out of a single onyx piece. Just like in the case of turquoise, however, it’s important to document and make sure that you won’t fall for a scam. Some merchants are known to sell agate died black instead of onyx.
#9 Jasper
An opaque type of chalcedony, jasper mainly comes in the color red. It’s a great addition to jewels, especially in the shape of a pendant attached to a necklace. We don’t exactly recommend trying to turn a piece into a ring, though, because it’s a bit too soft and it might not work out so well.
Head to jegem.com to see a collection of jasper necklaces.
#10 Hematite
You don’t often see pieces of jewelry that have hematite as the center of their focus, which is all the more reason why you should take this bold step forward and do it. Usually dark grey or black, hematite stands out through its slightly metallic appearance, owed to its iron concentration.