Gemstones beginning with G

Click the gemstone name or picture to visit our online store

• This index includes a wide variety of information about all of the gemstones from which our wholesale beads are made, including some that are not currently stocked but might be reordered in the future.
• Stones are listed in alphabetical order, grouped by family; for instance, Botswana Agate is listed under Agate, and Red Snowflake Obsidian under Obsidian.
• The "also known as" (aka) listings are often misnomers; we're just letting you know of other names we've seen (right or wrong!).
• To the best of our knowledge, all of our gemstones are natural and untreated, unless otherwise noted.
• We use the term "dyed" to describe stones to which color has been added through some process or another. The stone coloring process does not necessarily involve a colorant like those used for cloth.

	Garnet (-008) aka Arizona Ruby, Arizona Spinel, Australian Ruby, Black Hills Ruby, Bohemian Ruby, Montana Ruby, Mountain Ruby, New Mexico Ruby, Rocky Mountain Ruby The name for this coveted wine-colored gemstone comes from the Latin granatus for "seedlike," possibly because the crystals resemble pomegranate seeds. The birthstone for January, garnets are a group of common silicate minerals that have similar crystal structures and chemical compositions. Though the red-colored garnet receives the most recognition, the stone also appears in yellow, orange, green, pink, white and gray. This gleaming gemstone owes its brilliance to a high refraction of light, one of garnet's most appealing characteristics. These stones form under high temperatures and/or pressures, and can be used by geologists as a gauge of the temperatures and pressures other rocks in the vicinity have endured. They are also an indicator mineral for diamonds. The traditional way of finding diamond deposits is to sample materials at the surface, looking for minerals, such as garnets, that are often formed with diamonds, but in much greater quantities. On the whole, garnets are sturdy stones, resistant to everyday wear and tear, making them easy to work into jewelry. However, garnets react adversely to hard impacts and uncontrolled heating. Garnets have been widely used for thousands of years. According to legend, Noah suspended a finely cut, glowing garnet to illuminate the ark and steer it through the dark night. Garnets also are found in jewelry from the ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans, and have best been known as the warrior's stone. Soldiers carried garnet to ward off death and injury, and it also was used as a weapon against enemies by being shot out of a gun. The gemstone was set in shields, buckles and other items worn by Crusaders, and Italian widows commonly wore the gemstone in jewelry. Slices of garnet were also used as a mark of distinction in the windows of churches and temples. Garnets symbolize fire, faith, courage, truth, grace, compassion, constancy and fidelity. They are believed to stimulate the bloodstream and pituitary glands, and to combat depression, lethargy and nightmares. Garnets are to be carried close to the body to maximize their balancing and peaceful energy, and are said to protect travelers from harm. Garnets are found in Kenya, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Brazil, India, Madagascar, Canada, the U.S.A., the Czech Republic and Spain. Also see African jade, uvarovite
		China-Cut Garnet (-008-01) Garnet beads cut in China are typically consistent in their shape and drill holes, and sized uniformly on each strand. They are often stones of lesser quality with higher-quality finishes than gemstone beads cut elsewhere.
	more examples	Green Garnet aka Demantoid, Grossularite, Tsavorite The best known variety of green garnet is grossularite, which naturally occurs in green, yellow and brown. In the 20th century, a large amount of grossularite was found in Mali. The green Mali garnets are brilliant stones; even the brown-colored stones are highly desired. The most famous green garnet, tsavorite, is an emerald-like stone discovered by British geologist Campbell R. Bridges in 1967, in Northeast Tanzania. These green stones have high brilliance and a very vivid color, ranging from spring-like pale green to deep forest green. Henry Platt, president of Tiffany's New York at the time of the discovery, gave the stone the name of Tsavorite, and when it finally entered the market he launched a huge campaign for this new green gemstone. The stone became very popular in the United States following this campaign. Presently, tsavorites can also be found in Kenya. The rarest green garnet is the demantoid. Its name is Dutch for "diamond-like," as its brilliance sparkles with diamond-like qualities. Originally discovered in Russia, the demantoid garnet was favored by Russia's leading court jeweler, Carl Fabergé. It is the most expensive garnet and is one of the most precious gemstones. It is said that a demantoid will glow even in the shade. The colors of the stone range from many shades of green, to a slightly yellow-green to a brownish-green with a golden glow; the most precious are the deep emerald-green stones. Besides Russia, demantoid is found in Namibia. This recent discovery has made the stone more prevalent than in the past. Namibia demantoid is of good color and brilliance but it lacks the distinctive Russian horsetail inclusions. Horsetail inclusions are thin mineral inclusions that are visible in gemstones. Inclusions can add to the beauty and value of the stone if they are an attractive addition, but they can also decrease the value of the stone if the inclusions cause it to be impure, or imperfect. The horsetail inclusions of the Russian demantoid make it the most precious and valuable of gemstones.
		Hessonite Garnet aka Cinnamon Stone, Gomedhaka   Hessonite garnets are a member of the grossular garnet family. They are reddish-brown and may have honey-colored inclusions. This stone has good luster and is slightly transparent. The hessonite garnet is found primarily in Sri Lanka. Some believe that a hessonite garnet can be unpredictable and create sudden changes and influences, rigidity and passion. It is said to be the stone of worldly desires and benefits, laziness, gratification and ignorance.
		India-Cut Garnet (-008-09)  Garnet beads cut in India tend to be somewhat irregular in shape, with holes that are sometimes off-center and rough. Our stock of garnet beads is a lower-grade variety, which has a lesser gleam but also a more affordable price tag. These garnets may be dyed to achieve their attractive color, so be aware that rubbing or holding them in warm hands for an extended period might wear some of the coloring onto your fingers.
	Gaspeite This pale to apple-green calcite is considered a rare mineral, mined in only a few locations. It is invariably found near deposits of nickel sulfide, which gives gaspeite its unique green hue. Gaspeite was discovered in 1966, although initially it was considered a by-product of nickel sulfide mining and discarded. It is named for the Gaspe Peninsula in Canada, where it was first obtained, but the best material in recent years has come from Australia. However, the stockpile of Australian gaspeite has been picked over and, since no new sources have been found, the gaspeite still on the market has become much more expensive. Its scarcity has helped fuel its popularity in semiprecious-stone markets. Gaspeite is often is paired with gemstones such as azurite and sugilite for a stunning contrast. Emotionally, gaspeite is said to reduce distress and bring assurance. It also is said to reduce ignorance and attract friendship. Metaphysically, gaspeite is best known for helping to bring spirituality into everyday life. Mystics believe it to help heal problems with the heart, lungs and gallbladder. It is primarily related to the heart chakra.
	Gemstone Harmonies ™ Gemstone Harmonies are alternating strands of gemstones carefully selected by Rings & Things composers to help make your arrangements lyrical. Even if color matching isn't your forte, people will sing the praises of gemstone designs created with these contrasting and complementary color schemes. Duets currently featured include:
		Tigereye & African Turquoise (-901) Chatoyant, golden brown contrasts beautifully with bluish green.
		Opalite & Black Onyx (-902) Nothing is more dramatic (or elegant!) than color-changing white and not-so-basic black.
		Rock Crystal Quartz & Rhodonite (-903) Clear crystal really lets the pink shine in this mix.
		Sodalite & Howlite (-904) Blue and white and fun all over!
		Rose Quartz & Amazonite (-905) Pleasant pastels make beautiful music together.
		Rose Quartz & Sodalite (-906) This pairing of pale, translucent pink with deep blue just goes to show that opposites attract.
		Sodalite & Black Onyx (-907) Deep, rich shades of blue and black are striking together.
	Glass Although glass is a manmade substance, it can be produced in many of the same beautiful colors nature paints onto gemstones. The glass beads listed here are cut in the same factories as gemstone beads, and are otherwise treated like actual gemstones. For this reason they are available in many of the same shapes and styles as gemstone beads. Glass beads are distinguishable from natural gemstones by occasional, accidental bubble inclusions and a lower resistance to scratches and breakage. They are comparable in hardness to apatite, rhodonite, charoite and obsidian (a natural glass). We categorize glass that is designed to look like opal as opalite. For fancy glass beads that resemble quartz, please see the "quartz" entries. Incidentally, the popular fiber optic "cat's eye" beads are also made of glass.
		Amethyst Glass (-404) aka Desert Amethyst More translucent than real amethyst, this deep purple glass is reminiscent of grape candy!
		Aqua Glass (-403) aka Mass Aqua A subtle blue-green, this glass makes an inexpensive substitute for aquamarine.
		Emerald Glass aka Green Glass, Electric Emerald, Medina Emerald, Spanish Emerald The coloring of this glass resembles the bright-green hues of an emerald.
		London Blue Glass With its soothing blue-gray color, this glass is an inexpensive substitute for London blue topaz.
		Pink Ice Glass (-402) This powerfully pink glass is brighter and much more translucent than rose quartz.
	Goldstone aka Sandstone This mesmerizing, manmade gemstone can be viewed as flashy or elegant, depending on how you use it. Goldstone is a type of glass with tiny copper dots visible throughout the stone. A special process is needed to create the stone's metallic gleam; copper salts are added to colored liquid glass. The mass of glass is held at a specific temperature for a length of time, and then allowed to cool. As the glass cools, the salts turn into copper crystals, creating that unique sparkle. Goldstone is often mistaken for sunstone, a feldspar. Goldstone reportedly originated with Italian monks trying to make gold out of other materials (alchemy). The secret was kept for years until the Chinese, it is said, discovered how to make the gemstone. Nowadays, the best examples come from China, instead of Italy and Austria. Because of its origins in the monastery, goldstone is used frequently in religious jewelry. Goldstone is believed to store the energy of those who touch it, making it an excellent gift for loved ones who are far away. It is also considered a good deflector of unwanted energies, and is highly regarded in the spirit realm as a protection mineral. Mystics use it as a nervous-system stimulant to enhance transmission of healing energies from the hands; therefore it is used for long-distance healing. Goldstone is believed by many to be a powerful energy generator. The copper within it is claimed to be helpful in reducing inflammation and increasing circulation.
		Blue Goldstone (-091) This deep-blue goldstone variety, made with blue glass, looks like the midnight sky sprinkled with stars.
		Green Goldstone This variety is difficult to source. Perhaps because the glass contains thin green flakes in addition to the usual copper dots, green goldstone is more difficult to create than the other varieties.
		Goldstone (-018) This most-common variety of goldstone is reddish-brown glass.
Why can't I click on some stone names? Some stones are not currently part of our regular stock, meaning we don't sell them in our wholesale catalog or online. However, these may still be available on our traveling Bead Show tour, which stops at more than 50 U.S. cities each year.

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