23 Red Gemstones (Meaning, Names, Pricing & Value)

Gemstones have long had many meanings associated with birth month, color, personality, and so much more. Knowing their value and worth is valuable information for most of us, considering we may have come across a Ruby or two in our lifetime. Knowing what the best red gemstones are for special occasions or everyday wear is handy! 

These 23 red gemstones can be broken down into everyday wear, occasional wear, and collector items. The ruby is among the most expensive alongside the red diamond. They are valued by color, clarity, cut, and carat. But not all gemstones are designed for jewlery. However, each of them has its own backstory and purpose. 

This is your ultimate guide to everything you need to know about red gemstones and what makes them so special. In fact, it’s good to know that Ruby is among one of the rarest gemstones in the world today. It set a record high of $1,000,000 per carat. Why? Read on to find out! 

Red Gemstones: All You’ll Need to Know

What are gemstones? 

Gemstones are natural rocks and minerals that are chosen to be faceted and made into jewelry because of their beauty. They are rare worldwide and have value when cut or treated to be made into a gem, usually for jewelry. In today’s world, certain gemstones can be lab-manufactured. 

Color 

The color of a gemstone is one aspect that holds significant value. For example, outside of red gemstones, Emerald is among the rarest and most popular gemstones behind Ruby. This is because of their bold and striking color and the other Four C’s to measure gemstone value. The others are clarity, carat, and cut. 

In some cases, the bolder and more brilliant color red in some of these gems will see a noticeable value increase. Normally speaking, gemstones that are medium to deep in color, well-saturated, and clear (clarity) are the most preferred and valued. 

Clarity

Clarity refers to how many inclusions or blemishes the gemstone has that make it a little less clear. You can think of them as imperfections, Clarity is among the Four C’s when grading a gemstone for its value and price. Here is what you need to know that falls under the category of clarity.

  • Inclusions are materials that are trapped inside the gem.
  • Blemishes can be on the surface, such as scratches or breaks in the gem that would make its surface unsmooth. 
  • Anything that would affect the structural integrity of the gemstone would be considered a clarity issue. 

Best Red Gems for Everyday Wear

Carnelian 

Carnelian is a semi-precious quartz stone which means that it is both popular and, in most cases, affordable. The color ranges, as seen above, from yellowish-pale tones to a deep burnt red-orange. The color comes from how much Iron-Oxide is present in the stone. What is cool about that is that the more heat it is exposed to, the deeper red it will turn, even just being out in the sun. 

Its popularity stems from the fact that it is the least expensive stone from the chalcedony family. This type of stone is sought after for bringing goodwill between people. It’s often a great gift for friends and family. In fact, it dates back to Egypt, where its original symbolism was used for fertility, passion, and bravery. 

You can get Carnelian for $1 a carat in the least expensive scenarios. You should expect to pay no more than $20 a carat for the highest quality. 

Red Diamond

The Red Diamond is known to be the rarest and most expensive Diamond in the world. It displays all the same qualities of a colorless diamond yet exudes a beautiful, bold red. They are most commonly found in Africa, Australia, and Brazil. It is said that there are only 20 to 30 of them that exist in untreated natural form and are less than a carat in size. 

Since Red Diamonds are becoming even rarer, their prices continue to rise. No Red Diamonds are less than $100,000, even for their small carat size. The Moussaieff Red Diamond, which is also known as the Red Shield, sold for $8 million in 2001. It was 5.11 carat, Red Diamond. While they are unattainable for many, they symbolize passion and ritual. You’ll find them in high-end jewelry museums rather than be sold in the market. 

Jasper

Jasper is also a member of the chalcedony family. It may not be a stone you are familiar with, but chances are you have crossed paths with a Jasper at least once in your lifetime. They come in many patterns and varieties of color, including red. Its best description fits a smooth rock or stone that may have speckles on the bottom of it. 

It originates from places like Egypt, Madagascar, Russia, and various places throughout North and South America. It’s commonly used for beads and jewelry as it is another semi-precious stone. It also has a lot of healing properties, with the focus being on reducing stress as the “supreme nurturer.” It absorbs your negative energy and the negative energy around you. 

Its value is relatively low because of its abundance. You shouldn’t expect to buy or sell it for more than $1 to $5 a carat. 

Red Spinel

The Red Spinel was often mistaken for a Ruby or Sapphire because it comes in many colors and brilliance. It’s a beautiful gem that has a deep red color and is the true gem of love. While it was once overlooked, this gem is now becoming a popular choice compared to treated Rubies that still cost an arm and a leg. Red Spinel is commonly available and even made in a synthetic version that can decrease its value even more. 

Interestingly, even though the diamond became the preferred gem for engagement, the Red Spinel symbolizes devotion to one another while putting one’s ego aside. It also is meant to boost energy and stamina as it has links to the root chakra. 

High-quality natural Red Spinel can range from $200 to $2,000 in carat. However, synthetic Red Spinel can go for as low as $1 to $2 per carat. 

Rubellite

Rubellites are a part of the tourmaline group that gives off a pretty dark pink to red-color. They are a popular jewelry choice, with their ruby-red colored version being the most highly desired. Because of how striking and beautiful this gem is, it shines in all different kinds of lighting. It’s most commonly found in parts of the USA, Nigeria, Brazil, and Afghanistan. Madagascar and Mozambique.

For those who love crystal healing, many combine Rubellite with Black Star Sapphire to bring the energy of strength and vitality. This gem is most commonly used for those who are busybodies. 

Out of all the gems in the tourmaline family, Rubellite is among the best priced. Its carat price average ranges from $27 to $680 depending on the Four C’s. The rarer, the higher the value. 

Garnet

Garnet is a popular choice for a red gemstone, thanks to it being the birthstone of those born in January. It is found in metamorphic, igneous, and sedimentary rocks. Most people don’t know that while it comes in a beautiful red, it also comes in various colors. Red, however, is the most popular. What makes this gemstone appealing is that it has a unique translucent appearance. 

Because of the blood-red color associated with Garnet, ancient times referred to its meaning of blood, heart, and love. This would not only symbolize the love of a partner but of yourself and your friends. 

Since Garnet has many types, it can be found worldwide. However, Garnet carries great value. The average range per carat is from $500 to $7,000. The fewer inclusions and bigger the Garnet, the better value. 

Ruby

The Ruby is one of the most well-known red gemstones in the world, and in its natural state is pretty rare. The blood-red brilliance of this gem represents those all born in July, as it is their birthstone. As a part of the big four precious gemstones, Ruby is said to be the king. While India supposedly originated Ruby, other parts of Southeast Asia are where it is commonly found. 

It’s no secret that Rubies stand for wealth and prosperity. Ancient crowns, across many cultures around the world, would be decorated and lined with Rubies. The ruby is meant to symbolize good fortune and courage. 

Because of their popularity, many wanted to make the gemstone more accessible. Their synthetic option can sell for as little as $1 a carat. However, a natural Ruby can go for more than $100,000 a carat, setting record prices for the value of a natural stone. 

Some of The Best Red Gemstones for Occasional Wear

Fire Opal

Fire Opal is as cool as it sounds with a red, orange, and yellow mix of colors. It originates in ancient Mexican and South American volcanoes. It forms when water seeps into contact with silica-rich lava and fills the crevices. There are also small traces of it in Hungary. It gets its brilliance from sparkles, spots, and flashes of pure color. 

This Opal has a colorful history as Aztecs used it for jewelry, figurines and were often buried with them in 850 AD. They are far rarer than the classic pastel Opal many love. And technically speaking, Opal is the birthstone of October babies. It symbolizes passion and love. 

They hold great value, as you won’t find many Fire Opals going for less than $10 a carat. In many cases, you wouldn’t be surprised to find out that it goes for $10,000 a carat. 

Rhodochrosite

This gemstone usually gives off a raspberry pink to rosy color in its purest form. In some cases, you may notice more pale colors and mixes of white and brown in there. It’s a manganese carbonate mineral that has many different tones and opaqueness. The most translucent cuts get faceted into gems for beads and jewelry at the highest value. 

Depending on where they are taken from will have an influence on their color. In Argentina, the gem features a flattering pink color. But in South Africa, you will see that it is more rosy red. Colorado is one of the biggest hot spots, producing some of the best pink gems. 

The Scorpio zodiac sign gem is said to bring healing properties and do away with emotional scar damage. The light pink shades of Rhodochrosite ring in at about $200-$250 per carat. The pink-red shades come in around $350. And the highest value for red is valued at $400-$450 per carat. 

Red Beryl

Red Beryl used to be known as bixbite and was sold to consumers as a red emerald. Interestingly enough, it is one of the rarest minerals on earth. Its stunning dark red color stems from manganese ions inside the crystal. Only a few locations have been able to find this gemstone, such as Utah, New Mexico, and Mexico. 

The gemstone brings on a lot of self-confidence, excitement, and fearlessness despite its tiny nature. In most cases, they are too small to facet at the risk of breaking them. That’s why they are more commonly used as healing crystals than jewelry. 

Because the gemstone is never large and size, it actually does not sell for as much as one would think. Most of the time, it is sold at ⅕ of a carat for a few hundred dollars. Sometimes a Red Beryl will sell for a few thousand. The value is high, but the price remains lower due to size. 

Coral

Cora is interesting because it is formed by living organisms and is organic instead of created and polished. Red coral is to be considered an ancient gemstone that has been used for many purposes for thousands and thousands of years. It can be a solid red or pink or have many beautiful designs of swirls and patterns mixed in with it. That’s why it makes for fantastic affordable jewelry. 

The downside is that it is not a very hard material which is why it is usually not expensive in the first place. It breaks down easily. And with environmental laws protecting coral, production has slowed down in recent years. 

The general range for red coral lies between $10 and $50 per carat. However, synthetic corals are made even cheaper. 

Zircon

Zircon gemstones come in many colors and are commonly mistaken for diamonds when they are colorless. But when they are red, they give off a saturated bright red color that is highly desirable. Its name is derived from the Persian word Zergun. This translates to honey, and as Zircon often has honey hues in it, it fits perfectly. 

Its fiery energy aligns with the Sacral Chakra bringing alertness yet calmness and warmth. It’s meant to clear the heart both emotionally and physically. Those that resonate with this gemstone are happy to know that it is commonly found all over the earth. 

Red zircon jewelry is commonly sold between $20 a carat and $100 per carat. This price is slightly lower than their most popular color, which is actually blue. Blue Zircon averages $75 per carat and increases in value for fewer inclusions. 

Topaz

Topaz is a common gemstone used in jewelry either as a colorless stone or as its impurities make it fiery orange, yellow, and red. The birthstone is dedicated to the month of November to bring warmth and calling energies. This dazzling gem comes from the cavities of ingenious rocks, and it takes form when the magma cools. 

There is no shortage of locations where Topaz can be found. The United States, Madagascar, Mexico, Russia, and many more countries have no problem cultivating this gemstone. But the most common source happens to be Brazil. 

The prize for quality Topaz has a larger range because it can come in its natural state or be synthesized.  It’s not uncommon to see some Topaz selling for between $4 and $7 per carat on the lower end. Precious Topaz that brings fiery hues can sometimes be worth $1000 per carat. 

Sunstone and Oregon Sunstone

Oregon Sunstone indeed originates from Southeast Oregon. Its Feldspar group is one of the most common groups on the planet. The cool thing is that its particular variation with copper properties is found nowhere else in the world. Because of this uniqueness, it is the official state gem of Oregon. 

It holds a powerful place in many lives, bringing prosperity, wisdom, and positive energy from its colors, representing the same as the sun. The stone is most commonly used at burial sites for its energy and for staying in the home for energy work. 

The paler the sunstone is, the less it is valued. These go for $5-$20 per carat. However, highly saturated sunstones can go for far more. Some of the highest prices have come in at $1,700 per carat. 

Cuprite

Cuprite is categorized as an oxide mineral and has copper properties that give it its reddish coloring. Because cuprite is naturally a brittle gemstone, it isn’t often used for jewelry. The most common use is to see it being made for red ruby glass. Interestingly enough, it comes from locations such as France, Chile, Arizona, Bolivia, and Namibia. 

Its metaphysical meaning registers with the Base chakra and means survival. It also is meant to represent diminishing one’s worry while meeting the physical needs of humans. This is why it is much more common to see this in crystal form or gemstone form rather than used as a piece of jewelry. In fact, Virgo, Capricorn, and Tauruses are said to vibe well with Cuprite because it registers with their astrological sign.  

Cuprite is relatively inexpensive, ranging from $40 to $200 a carat. 

Crocoite

Crocoite is a saffron-colored gemstone that is often too brittle or soft for cutting into jewelry wear. Most of the time, Crocoite only has use as a collector’s item. The gemstone is incredibly distinct as it resembles a bunch of pick-up sticks or needles tangled together. It became the official gemstone of the Tasmanian State in Australia in 2000. 

As of now, there is no known jewelry used for this type of gemstone. Even in synthetic models, they are made to resemble the stone itself. Because of the lack of sales for Crocoite, the price remains undetermined per carat. 

Red Gemstones for Collectors

Friedelite

Friedelite is an interesting gemstone because it is usually not found in sellable condition. But when it is discovered and able to be faceted into a gemstone, it becomes a collector’s item.

They are rich in reddish-brownish colors when they come from the United States. But they display beautiful rose reds when they are taken from South Africa. They generally don’t measure well on the hardiness scale and break far too often to be considered jewelry in most cases. 

Because they are not commonly found in a quality state, they are incredibly rare. The price then becomes extreme at either end. It can be worth virtually nothing or worth an incredible amount. Because there are so few collector’s items, it is hard to pinpoint a price on this particular gem. 

Cinnabar

Cinnabar is commonly called Cinnabarite. It is tied to Greek, Indian, and Persian culture. The gemstone is bright brick-red in the form of mercury sulfide. Its actual name was given by ancient Indians, meaning dragon’s blood. In ancient times the primary purpose for mining this was for mercury or, in some cases, a burial ritual. 

Today it is more commonly known as a symbol of success and assertive energy to lead. That’s why you will find them used as healing stones. Synthetic versions are also made to make popular healing jewelry. Because it is incredibly soft, it is usually for collector items when it is cut. 

Exact prices for Cinnabar are hard to nail down because they are often sold from China with other materials included with it. The most common examples online sell for a few thousand dollars. Cinnabar on quartz is priced at $1,800 from Spain. 

Eudialyte

This rare cyclosilicate mineral was originally found in Greenland in 1819. Its mix of colors, such as red, magenta, blue, violet, and more, has made it particularly attractive to collectors around the world. Today, the most popular export of Eudialyte comes from Russia. 

Collectors would never recommend buying Edialyte as a faceted gemstone but instead buy it in its most natural state if possible. The process of polishing the gem takes the value higher. Eudialyte, in general, is associated with the number three and possesses qualities of socialness, expressivism, and positive energy. It most resonates with Aries. 

Most of the Eudialyte jewelry you will find online are replicates or faux Eudialyte, considering its rarity. Even in these cases, you may pay $100 or more for the name. 

Rhodonite

The Rhodonite crystal and gemstone is one of the most popular stones that is used in healing practices. It’s a manganese silicate mineral that gives off an opaque sort of transparency. A subtle and soft pink color. In some cases, you can find Rhodonite also coming in a deep and powerful red. The transparent, deep red gemstone is among the most difficult to cut in the world, making this unique variation so valuable. 

The spiritual meaning of Rhodonite is to send love to your soul and internally heal. Its zodiac sign is Scorpio, and it is the official state gem of Massachusetts. It comes from California, New Jersey, New South Wales, and Sweden. Since Rhodonite is most commonly appreciated for its beauty, it is more of a collector item than something you’ll find in jewelry. 

Since there is not a lot of true Rhodonite on the market, the per carat price has been last set between $12 and $122.

Realgar

Realgar is one of the most interesting red gemstones on this list because it is photosensitive. This means that its state is unstable and constantly changes when exposed to light. If left out in light long enough, the deep red crystal will completely crumble to yellow dust. It offers a beautiful transparent ruby-red coloring that is stubby and prismatic in size. 

You won’t find this type of gem used commonly as jewelry because it also contains a small amount of poisonous arsenic. It’s always recommended that anyone dealing with the gem washes their hands after dealing. Wearing gloves is also not a bad idea. Any cut gem of Realgar is incredibly valuable. 

The value per carat of a cut gen of Realgar is undisclosed due to its rarity. 

Pezzottaite

Pezzottaite is commonly referred to as raspberry beryl or raspberyl. It’s a relatively new mineral, as it was recognized in 2003 as completely different from red beryl. It displays beautiful hues of pink and sometimes red thanks to manganese ions. Madagascar was the original source of this gem, but it can now be found in countries like Afghanistan. 

The Madagascar site is said to be exhausted, and Pezzottaite in its true form is so rare that it is actually a collector’s item. Most of the mined Pezzottaites are small and amount to no more than one carat. But one carat of this gem can amount to a few thousand dollars in price. For its symbolism of confidence and wisdom, many collectors think this is a deal worth doing. 

Proustite

Saving one of the best red gemstones for last, Proustite is one of the best collector items that has magnificent form, especially when faceted. It’s sometimes called “ruby silver” because of its lustrous finish, dazzling cherry red colors, and cool hues. 

Proustite is seldom cut for a gemstone or jewelry purpose. Part of the reason for this is that the gemstone contains arsenic. The main purpose is that they are bought as collector’s items and displayed in galleries and museums. The most common export of this gemstone is in Chile. 

While some of the per-carat value information is unknown, some classic collector items are sold for around $10,000. 

How much are red Jewels usually worth? 

Red jewels can be priced between $1 per carat and upwards of $100,000 per carat. These gemstones have a vast price range, especially since technology has been able to make synthetic versions of many of the gemstones listed above. Collectors’ items are priced so high that many values are not available to the general public. Two of the more well-known expensive red gemstones are the Red Diamond and the Ruby. 

Other jewels or gemstones, such as some of the birthstones like Topaz, also feature a wide range of costs. Many can be found in jewelry stores for a few dozen dollars. Higher-end products may cost dozens of thousands of dollars. 

How to find out your birthstone? 

To find your birthstone, the easiest thing to do is to Google your birth month, Ex. January + birthstone, for Google, to display your results. Several birthstones are listed above, such as Topaz, Opal, Tourmaline, Diamond, etc. Some birthstones, such as the Opal, don’t necessarily mean that it has to be red gemstones. Many of the gemstones on this list come in a variety of colors. 

Another interesting factor of these gemstones is that they are associated with zodiac signs and numbers and have metaphysical properties that are used in healing. Finding the stone that resonates with your astrology may have a more powerful meaning in your life. 

Best Outfits That Go with Red Jewels

The best outfits with red jewels will depend on the occasion you are dressing for. Some of the more expensive pieces should be reserved for special occasions because too much exposure to certain environments can depreciate them. These are jewels such as high-quality rubies, red diamonds, red beryl, topaz, and so on. 

Now certain colors go better with red jewels than others. Red jewels with warm hues, such as sunstone, should be paired with gold accents in jewelry. Cooler hues will work better with silver jewelry and palettes of coloring. Opposite color palettes tend to clash and take away from the red jewels themselves. 

The best piece of advice when it comes to wearing outfits and red jewels is to let them stand out on their own. Red jewels are bold statements; the more simplistic the outfit and colors surrounding them, the more they will pop. 

Know Its Value

Understanding the value of your red gemstone is key to ensuring that you protect it’s worth and don’t end up buying or selling it for more or less than you should. Rubies are the most common gemstone but now you know that there are tons of other red gemstones that look like ruby or sometimes offer an even prettier color. 

Not every red gemstone is meant to be for jewelry or designer purposes. Some of them are better used as healing stones or crystals. And in some of the rare cases where the gemstone is brittle, it may just be a collector’s item.