Natural Loose Gemstones for Sale at AfricaGems
With over 5,000 individual natural gemstones for sale, one can discover an exceptional selection of natural loose gemstones hand selected for beauty, quality and value. AfricaGems has specialized in colored gemstones since 1984, offering everything from sapphire gemstones, ruby gemstones and emerald gemstones to alexandrite gemstones, tourmaline gemstones, aquamarine gemstones, garnet gemstones, spinel gemstones, zircon gemstones and many more.
Shop loose gemstones for engagement rings, pendants, earrings, custom jewelry, collecting or replacing an existing stone. Choose from one-of-a-kind faceted gemstones, calibrated gemstones, cabochon gemstones, matched pairs and rare collector-quality gems in a wide range of colors, shapes, sizes and price points.
Shop Gemstones by Type
Explore our collection by choosing the type of gemstone that fits your jewelry project or personal style. Browse precious gemstones, semi-precious gemstones, faceted calibrated gemstones, cabochon gemstones, pearls and birthstones.
Whether you are searching for a classic blue sapphire gemstone, vivid green emerald gemstone, brilliant ruby gemstone, rare alexandrite gemstone or an unusual colored gemstone, AfricaGems makes it easy to compare your options and find the right loose stone.
How to Choose a Loose Gemstone
A beautiful colored gemstone is about more than carat weight. When comparing loose gemstones, consider color, clarity, cut, proportions, brilliance, size, rarity, durability and treatment.
Color is the first thing you notice and the most important factor in colored gemstones. Look for a hue, tone and saturation that appeals to you rather than choosing on specifications alone.
Cut and proportions determine how effectively the gemstone reflects light. A well-cut gemstone can appear brighter, more lively and more attractive than a poorly proportioned stone of similar color and weight.
Clarity varies naturally by gemstone variety. Some gemstones are normally very clean, while others—including emerald gemstones—commonly contain visible inclusions.
Carat weight and dimensions should be considered together. Two gemstones of the same weight can have very different face-up sizes depending on their proportions and cut.
Treatment and origin can also affect rarity and value. AfricaGems clearly identifies known gemstone treatments so you can make an informed comparison. Many of our gemstones have GIA, GRS, CD gemological certificates. AfricaGems issues a Gemstone Analysis as an alternative.
Gemstones for Custom Jewelry
Buying a loose gemstone first is the most important decision in custom jewelry creation and allows you to choose the stone first and design the jewelry around it.
Our gemstones are ideal for custom engagement rings, anniversary rings, pendants, earrings and one-of-a-kind jewelry. Search by gemstone variety, color, shape and size to find the right centerpiece for your design, or choose calibrated gemstones when you need a stone to fit an existing mounting.
Matched gemstone pairs are also available for earrings and side stones.
Shop Gemstones by Color
Colored gemstones offer an extraordinary range of choices beyond the traditional ruby, sapphire and emerald.
Love green? Explore emerald gemstones, tsavorite garnet gemstones, green tourmaline gemstones and green sapphire gemstones.
Prefer blue? Consider blue sapphire gemstones, aquamarine gemstones, blue zircon gemstones and blue tourmaline gemstones.
For red and pink, explore ruby gemstones, spinel gemstones, pink sapphire gemstones and pink tourmaline gemstones.
Shopping by color makes it easy to compare different gemstone varieties, appearances and price ranges while finding the color that works best for your jewelry.
Why Buy Loose Gemstones from AfricaGems?
AfricaGems has specialized in gemstones since 1984, giving our customers more than four decades of colored-stone experience. Check out our thousands of individual reviews from verified customers.
Our goal is to help you choose a gemstone based on the characteristics you will actually see and appreciate—beautiful color, quality cutting, brilliance, attractive proportions and overall appearance. We offer hand videos for many of our gemstones on request.
Gemstone information and known treatments are disclosed so you can shop with confidence. Qualifying gemstones also include an AfricaGems Certificate of Authenticity, and domestic purchases are protected by our 30-day inspection period, free return shipping and full refund policy on eligible unaltered merchandise.