Coloured Gemstones — Sapphires, Rubies, Emeralds, Opals & Pearls

For decades, Diamond Imports has sourced rare and exceptional coloured gemstones for Australian collectors, designers, and engagement ring buyers looking for something beyond the traditional diamond. Daniel personally selects every stone — assessing colour, clarity, cut, origin, and treatment — drawing on relationships with cutters and dealers built over forty-five years in the trade.

Whether you are searching for a vivid blue sapphire engagement ring, a Burmese ruby, a Colombian emerald, an Australian black opal, or a strand of South Sea pearls, Diamond Imports can source it directly — without the multiple markups of the high street.

---

The Five Most Sought-After Coloured Gemstones

These are the gemstones our customers ask for most often — each with its own story, its own grading factors, and its own place in fine jewellery. Click through to explore each in depth.

---

What Makes a Quality Coloured Gemstone?

Coloured gemstones are graded differently from diamonds. Where a diamond is judged on the 4Cs, a coloured gemstone is judged on factors where colour is king — followed by clarity, cut, carat, and two factors unique to coloured stones: origin and treatment.

Colour — The Single Most Important Factor

In a coloured gemstone, colour determines the majority of value. Gemmologists assess colour across three dimensions:

• Hue — the dominant colour (e.g. blue, with secondary tones of violet or green)
• Tone — how light or dark the stone is
• Saturation — the intensity and purity of the colour

The most prized stones show a pure, vivid, medium-to-medium-dark tone with no muddiness or grey undertone.

Clarity

Unlike diamonds, many coloured gemstones are expected to contain natural inclusions. Emeralds in particular almost always have visible internal features — known as the jardin (French for "garden") — which can actually authenticate a stone's natural origin. What matters is whether inclusions affect the stone's beauty or structural integrity.

Cut

A coloured gemstone's cut is judged on how well it displays the stone's colour and brilliance. Unlike diamond cutting, which follows strict mathematical proportions, coloured gemstone cutting is an art that adapts to each rough stone's unique optical properties.

Carat

Large fine-quality coloured gemstones are far rarer than large diamonds. A 5-carat top-quality ruby is exceptionally rare; a 5-carat top-quality diamond is merely expensive.

Origin

For premium coloured gemstones, geographic origin significantly affects value. Burmese rubies, Colombian emeralds, Kashmir sapphires, and Australian opals each command premiums over equivalent stones from other sources — backed by independent gemmological certificates where appropriate.

Treatment

Most coloured gemstones on the market have been treated in some way — most commonly heat treatment to enhance colour and clarity. Heat treatment is widely accepted in the trade and considered stable. However, untreated stones from prestigious origins (e.g. unheated Burmese ruby, untreated Kashmir sapphire) command significant premiums. Diamond Imports discloses every treatment in full — there are no surprises.

---

Coloured Gemstone Jewellery — Every Way You Might Wear One

Coloured gemstones can be set into almost any style of jewellery — and at Diamond Imports we craft pieces across every category, from one-of-a-kind sapphire engagement rings to gemstone earrings, dress rings, pendants and bracelets. Every piece is handcrafted in Sydney to suit the stone, the setting, and the wearer.

See Custom Jewellery Designs → Make an Enquiry →

---

Birthstones & Other Gemstones We Work With

Beyond the core five, Diamond Imports works with a broad range of coloured gemstones — including all twelve traditional birthstones and other rare and unusual stones sought by collectors.

Looking for something not listed? We can source alexandrite, spinel, tsavorite, paraiba tourmaline, morganite, jade, aquamarine, topaz, amethyst, peridot, garnet, tourmaline, tanzanite, and other rare stones. Get in touch — if it exists, Daniel can find it.

---

Why Source Your Gemstone Through Diamond Imports?

• Direct sourcing — Daniel selects each stone personally, working with cutters and dealers in the major gem markets. No middleman, no high-street markups.
• Honest disclosure — every treatment, every origin, every detail. If a stone is heated, you'll know. If it's untreated, we can certify it.
• Independent certification — for significant gemstones we provide independent laboratory reports confirming species, origin where possible, and treatment status.
• Bespoke design — our master jeweller handcrafts settings in Sydney to suit each gemstone's character.
• Australia-wide service — Sydney CBD by appointment, or remote consultation by phone for buyers anywhere in Australia.

---

Explore More