If you are a lover of vitality and creativity, then orange gemstones are for you. These precious gems are so rare that when found are used as important pieces in making gorgeous jewelry.
Here, we are going to get information about:
- What is an orange gemstone?
- Where can you buy the best orange gemstone?
- A review of the best orange gems for fine jewelry pieces
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What is an Orange Gemstone?
When used to make jewelry, orange gemstones show off a bright color resembling the sun. the bright color is a combination of the brightness in yellow and the heat in red to give off a brilliant sparkle.
Orange is not most people’s favorite color, but trust me when I say that the orange shades of these gemstones will definitely warm your heart.
For starters, orange gems have an exotic touch. If you want to know more about this stone, keep reading, you have come to the right site.
Best Place to Buy Orange Gemstones
You can find orange gemstones in the jewelry shop down the street or online.
Orange gemstones are chosen depending on their clarity, cut, carat weight, and other factors. You can start your shopping experience with James Allen, they have top quality orange gems that you can view through their 360 high definition videos before buying.
Orange Gemstones Names
There are numerous orange gemstones in the market, here, we list only nine of them. The list below contains the 9 best orange gemstones used in jewelry.
- Orange Diamond
- Orange Sapphire
- Imperial Topaz
- Orange Amber
- Orange Spinel
- Orange Zircon
- Orange Tourmaline
- Mexican Fire Opal
- Spessartite Garnet
Orange Gemstones Names and Pictures
1. Orange Diamond
- Very very rare
- Super brilliant
- Very costly
- Selling at between $1 million and $4+ million
An orange gemstone gets most of its color from nitrogen, just like yellow gemstones do. The difference in tones is brought about by how the nitrogen is arranged during formation. Just as it is hard to find a red or pink diamond, so is it for an orange gemstone. If found in its purest form, the price is up the ceiling.
These stones have other color shades such as pinkish, yellowish, yellow, and brownish, all responsible for significantly altering the stone’s price.
Being a diamond, this stone is hard and has a high refractive index thus the super brilliance it exhibits. Of all the orange gemstones, a diamond is the most valuable.
You may hear some jewelers calling these orange gemstones “pumpkins.” This term is derived from their color and also from the popular diamond known as Pumpkin Diamond. Because of their rarity, synthetic orange diamonds are common in the market and come at a cheaper cost.
Pros
- Highly durable
- Great choice of jewelry
Cons
- Very costly
2. Orange Sapphire
- Commonly treated with heat
- Very durable
- Rare to find
- Costs between $500 and $3,000
It is very rare to find a natural orange sapphire. When you find one, it is very likely that it has been dyed to make the orange tone intense.
You will find most of these gemstones in varieties of pink or yellow with some having an overlapping border of these two colors.
Orange sapphires get their color from vanadium.
Of all the stones found in the family of orange sapphires, Padparadscha is the most valuable. This kind of stone is very rare and a unique variation of sapphire. The orange sapphire is fairly durable and can be used in all types of jewelry.
Pros
- High durability
Cons
- Not easy to find
3. Imperial Topaz
- Liked by jewelers
- Vitreous shine
- Very rare
- Costs between $1.000 and $3,500
Imperial topaz is a very hard stone rating at 8 on the Mohs scale. It comes in several shades of orange ranging from dark orange to peach. The stone’s optical characteristics are normally enhanced by faceting.
Topaz is a word gotten from the Sanskrit term known as tapas, which means fire. This gemstone shines and you rarely see any inclusion in it. Because of its features, it makes for any kind of jewelry piece and can bring out nice vibes to your clothes.
Most people confuse imperial topaz with yellow gemstones.
Pros
- Acceptable durability
Cons
- Extremely rare
4. Orange Amber
- The scent of a pine
- Organic stone
- Unique blemishes
- Costs between $5 and $30
Amber is an organic gemstone made from fossilized tree resin. This stone smells like pine. Amber has different hue variations including orange, yellow, and gold. It is also an ancient gemstone that was commonly used so many years ago.
Unlike most other gemstones, the inclusions in an Amber are made up of insects and plants. These unique inclusions make the price of acquiring an amber go high, unlike other gemstones on the market.
One big disadvantage is that this orange gemstone is too soft. Since it measures 2 on the scale of hardness, it is not the best choice for jewelry. this stone also reacts to chemicals like alcohol and colognes.
Pros
- Each stone looks unique
Cons
- Too soft
- Not suitable for jewelry to be worn daily
5. Orange Spinel
- Some show asterism
- Brilliant
- Long lasting
- Costs between $1,500 and $3,000
Spinel is not known for being orange and therefore, the orange color sounds somewhat unusual for spinel.
This color is gotten from chromium and runs from vivid-intense hues to faint and pinkish-orange shades. The vivid-intense shade is loved by jewelry collectors. Most spinels contain no inclusions but there are some types that will have needle-like traces to form asterism.
Orange spinel has good brilliance because of its high refractive index and dispersion. It rates ( on Mohs scale making it durable. However, its color fades away when it is exposed to heat.
There are other types of orange spinel that are heat-treated, although this is not common.
Pros
- Common choice for jewelers
- Unique variations
Cons
- Commonly treated using heat
6. Orange Zircon
- Not costly
- Fairly rare
- See-through
- Costs between $50 and $150
In most cases, orange zircon is mistaken for cubic zirconia and is commonly used as a diamond alternative. Orange zircon is among the rarest kinds of zircon found.
When compared to diamonds, this natural stone has more brilliance and super transparency. Still, it is not as durable since it rates at 6.5 to 7 on the measure of the hardness scale.
Most jewelers prefer faceted orange zircons as this way the optical properties are enhanced, making it shine more. This stone is affordable and a good choice for most types of jewelry.
Pros
- Great diamond substitute
Cons
- Not hard enough
7. Orange Tourmaline
- Shiny
- Durability is medium
- Shiny
- Costs between $200 and $1,500
Tourmaline is one of the most colorful gemstones that you will find in almost all rainbow colors.
An orange tourmaline can also be found in either brown or bright orange shade. The bright orange stone is always the most expensive. Although it is the priciest, bright orange is not the most common or popular in the tourmaline stones.
This gemstone has a couple of undertones and in most cases exhibits pleochroism (this is when a gemstone has two colors). For an orange tourmaline, it will display orange and brown in one stone when looked at from different light angles.
To make the stone more brilliant and improve on clarity, an orange tourmaline is always faceted. Sometimes the stone is treated using heat to make its color intense. You can also find lab-grown orange tourmalines but they are rare. This stone is durable and can last even longer when extra care is taken.
Pros
- Displays two colors
- Common in jewelry
Cons
- Heat-treated
8. Mexican Fire Opal
- Shine ranging from waxy to vitreous
- Not very durable
- Not easily found
- Costs between $1 and $20
Most opal gemstones are white in color, but you will also find orange ones.
An opal that is completely orange is referred to as fire opal. When the opal has no color play, it is known as jelly opal.
A vivid orange opal is a kind that most people look for and also the most expensive.
Fire opals exist in hues that are transparent or translucent. The transparent ones are normally faceted to maximize their clarity. The dull shades of orange are commonly cut in cabochons since this stone is a bit soft (5.5 to 6,5 hardness). With this rate of toughness, Mexican fire opals may not be the best choice of gemstones for everyday pieces of jewelry.
Pros
- Clear orange color loved by many
- Very affordable
Cons
- Does not last long
- Translucent options not good for jewelry
RECOMMENDED: Best Opal Engagement Rings
9. Spessartite Garnet
- Durability is medium
- Relatively affordable
- Costs between $800 and $2,00
The spessartite garnet is the most popular amongst all the orange gemstones on this list.
This orange gemstone is a member of the garnet family. The orange color is gotten from manganese minerals trapped during formation. Although these stones have very huge deposits, it is rare to find them.
On the measure of hardness scale, the spessartite ranks at number 7, making it the perfect choice for pendants, rings, necklaces, and most other jewelry types. This stone has no cleavage. It is transparent and can be cut as cabochons or facets.
Pros
- Common gemstone
- Attractive brilliance
Cons
- Sometimes not found