Orange gemstones are warm, vibrant, and lively, making them incredibly popular for use in jewelry. Plus, orange gems often have intriguing meanings and a variety of benefits, making them suitable for not just wear but also meditation and other similar purposes.
As with most gemstone colours, there are far more orange stones than most people realize. Here’s an overview of orange gemstones and a closer look at 30 orange gemstones for jewelry.
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Orange Gemstones Meaning
The colour orange is associated with vibrancy, positive energy, and creativity. Many people believe it’s also related to the sun’s power and Mother Earth’s warmth, essentially blending the two together. Additionally, many think it supports confidence and self-expression and uplifts people to help them connect with their spirituality while keeping them grounded.
Orange Crystal Benefits
Many of the benefits of orange gems are connected with positive emotions. Orange stones can provide a mental boost, as the colour is associated with happiness, positive vibes, enjoyment, and expression. Orange is also strongly connected to the sacral chakra, which governs emotions, creativity, passion, and pleasure and provides a connection to the senses. As a result, many believe that orange stones are excellent in assisting those areas.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Orange Gemstones:
Which Orange Gemstones Are Ideal for Everyday Wear?
If you want an orange gem for everyday wear, it’s best to focus on gemstones that rate no lower than 6.5 on the Mohs hardness scale. Typically, a rating at or above that mark means the stone is durable enough to resist scratches, chips, and breakage during accidental contact with an object, such as a strike against a doorframe.
There are quite a few orange gemstones that are ideal for everyday wear. Here are just some of the popular options:
- Carnelian
- Imperial Topaz
- Madeira Citrine
- Orange Beryl
- Orange Diamond
- Orange Garnets
- Orange Spinel
- Orange Sapphires
What Is the Rarest Orange Stone?
Generally, most consider the padparadscha sapphire the rarest orange gemstone. It features a magnificent blend of brilliant orange color, pink, and yellow tones, not unlike a sunrise or a sunset, and the stones can lean closer toward one of those colours. With the versions that show as mostly orange, you typically get flashes of yellow and pink across the facets, and some may even have colouring close to red in areas. The result is warm and fiery, making them highly intriguing and very valuable.
Orange diamond is also one of the rarer orange colored gemstones. Estimates suggest they make up only 0.05 percent of the natural fancy coloured diamonds, which makes naturally-occurring ones quite valuable, too.
What Is Orange Quartz Called?
Generally, if quartz is an orange color, it’s either hematoid quartz or citrine, depending on its composition. Hematoid quartz is also referred to as tangerine quartz due to its colour, so it’s also safe to use that name.
What Is the Most Expensive Orange Jewel?
Typically, the padparadscha sapphire (also called orange sapphire) is the most expensive orange gemstone on the market, as particularly high-quality versions in desirable colours can easily cost tens of thousands of dollars.
Orange diamonds may also be the most expensive orange gemstone. Diamonds typically command high prices, and naturally-occurring orange ones are rare, so they can also come with price tags in the tens of thousands of dollars.
Orange imperial topaz is also an expensive stone. Often, those retail for a few thousand dollars per carat, though the exact price depends on the precise hue, cut, clarity, and other factors.
When it comes to famous orange jewels, the Pumpkin Diamond stands out. It was last purchased for $1.3 million and was the largest fancy orange diamond of its era, coming in at 5.54 carats.
List of Orange Gemstones
Amber
Amber is an organic gemstone that’s made of hardened tree resin. Once the resin hardens, it’s suitable for polishing and shaping, often achieving a glossy surface that makes the rare and beautiful gemstone almost seem to glow under the light. The colouring can vary from earthy honey to deep burnt sienna, with many essentially being earthy orange shades.
Often, the colour of amber connects the stone to the sun, especially when it’s illuminated. While it’s mainly an ornamental stone, it’s been historically used as a fuel source in some cases, and it was popular in many ancient medicinal and healing practices.
Carnelian
Carnelian is a type of chalcedony, and it’s one of the more affordable orange gemstones. It’s also historically connected to leadership, as it was popular among kings and royalty. At one point, Carnelian even helped royals communicate silently, essentially expressing goodwill to those nearby.
With Carnelian, you typically get a lively red-orange hue. Translucent versions and those with less mottling or banding and consistent colour are generally considered more valuable, but opaque versions with more variations can also be quite striking.
Clinohumite
A rare magnesium silicate mineral founded by (and named after) Sir Abraham Hume, a British mineralogist, clinohumite is a vibrant transparent orange gemstone. Commonly, the rare gemstone features red and yellow tones when faceted, and some inclusions are common, but they rarely disrupt the stone’s beauty.
Clinohumite was originally discovered in limestone that emerged during the Mount Vesuvius eruption in Italy. Later, deposits were found in Russia, Tanzania, and some parts of Central Asia, though not in high enough quantities to keep the stone from being rare.
Imperial Topaz
Imperial topaz is a highly prized gemstone that comes in shades of pink, yellow, red, and orange, with vivid orange and hues being the most popular. The stone rates higher on the Mohs scale – typically near 8 – so it’s durable enough for everyday wear. Plus, its high transparency and exceptional lustre work incredibly well for faceted jewelry stones.
Overall, imperial topaz is one of the most desirable and expensive versions of topaz on the market. One reason is that it commonly exhibits pleochroism, a colour-shifting quality. Usually, the base hue is yellow-orange, and the pleochroism brings in red hues, making the stone flash and flicker like a flame.
Madeira Citrine
Named for the Brazilian word for wood, Madeira citrine has a deep, earthy reddish-orange colouring due to the presence of iron in the stone. Usually, it’s found in Brazil, Madagascar, Uruguay, and Zambia.
Madeira citrine scores a 7 on the Mohs hardness scale, so it’s durable enough for everyday wear. Typically, it ranges from translucent to transparent, so it’s more commonly faceted. It can also exhibit dichroic qualities, bringing in weak or moderate flashes of yellow. Colour zoning may also occur, giving the stone a two-toned appearance.
Moonstone
When people think of moonstones, they more commonly envision white or blue varieties. However, orange moonstone is quite striking, ranging in colour from gentle peach to deep orange due to the presence of iron.
Moonstones typically exhibit adularescence, which causes the gem to seemingly glow, not unlike the illuminated side of the moon. Overall, orange moonstone is a rare variety of the moonstone gem, but it remains pretty affordable in most cases.
Orange Agate
Agate comes in a wide array of colours, including many shades of red. This translucent type of chalcedony usually features banding, giving a stone orange and white stripes that are quite intriguing. In most cases, the orange segments are actually Carnelian.
Orange Andesine Labradorite
Orange andesine labradorite is typically a combination of two types of feldspar minerals: andesine and labradorite. It ranges from transparent to semi-translucent and can exhibit vibrant shades of red, orange, and yellow, as well as hues like gray, white, or green, depending on the precise composition.
With orange andesine labradorite, you usually get a vitreous lustre. However, the stone only measures 6 to 6.5 on the Mohs hardness scale, so it’s best suited for occasional wear.
Orange Beryl
Orange beryl, a variety of Morganite, is one of the rarer beryl colours, making it more valuable than certain other hues. Iron in the mineral leads to the warm colouring, and the stone’s transparency makes it ideal for faceting, but some of the gems are turned into vibrant cabochons instead. Plus, since it can rate between 7.5 to 8 on the Mohs hardness scale, it works well for jewelry you want to wear often.
Orange Calcite
Orange calcite is a calcium carbonate mineral that ends up with an orange hue due to iron in its composition. Generally, it’s classified as a soft stone, as it’s only a 3 on the Mohs hardness scale. As a result, it’s at risk for scratching and chipping, but since it’s affordable, some people choose to put it into jewelry.
In many cases, orange calcite has a swirled look, with sections of white dancing through the orange. It’s typically translucent, not fully transparent, so it’s usually turned into cabochons or carved and shaped instead of faceted.
Orange Coral
Orange coral is another organic stone, and it’s made of exoskeletons that are shed by coral polyps. Natural orange coral is highly regulated, as collecting it devastated coral reefs, so rules are now in place to limit further damage. In many areas, buying or trading authentic coral is banned, and many people have ethical concerns about owning the real deal. As a result, there’s a wide selection of reproductions available.
Orange Danburite
Danburite is a calcium boron silicate mineral, and the orange version is a rarer variety. The colouring occurs due to the presence of manganese, giving the gemstone a gentle to vibrant hue, depending on its exact composition. Overall, orange danburite is durable, coming in at a 7 on the Mohs hardness scale. Since it’s transparent, it’s suitable for faceting for jewelry.
Orange Diamond
Orange diamond is one of the rarest naturally-occurring diamond colours and is particularly durable, even among diamonds. With a high refractive index, orange diamonds offer exceptional shine and sparkle. Due to the colouring, some people refer to them as pumpkin diamonds, potentially due to the famous Pumpkin Diamond.
Orange Fire Opal
Orange fire opals have a vibrant orange base hue, often tinged slightly red. They exhibit iridescent flashes that are referred to as opalescence. The most common shades for the flashes are yellow, orange, and red, with some blue, violet, or red occasionally in the mix. Usually, fire opals are translucent, though some are transparent, and they seem to radiate a glow from within, making them incredibly striking.
Orange Fluorite
Fluorite is a stone that comes in various colours, with orange versions being rarer than others. Manganese, coupled with the inherent structure of fluorite, leads to the different orange hues, which can include anything from pale, sunny yellow oranges to deep, moody, whiskey-like shades.
While fluorite crystals are often transparent, using them in jewelry is rarer. Instead, they’re more commonly collector stones, especially if the crystal is larger and well-formed. However, some smaller pieces do end up in jewelry.
Orange Garnets
While most people picture garnets as red, several orange garnet varieties often pop up in jewelry. Since garnets are often translucent to transparent and are highly durable, they’re very suitable for daily wear.
Hessonite -also called the cinnamon stone – is earthier, usually having an orange tone that’s slightly brown tinted. Typically, the golden orange versions are the most desirable, causing the base stone to look like honey and offering an internal fire that sparkles orange.
Orange Mali garnet is a type of grossular garnet, and it can feature orange hues that lean pink, yellow, or red. Overall, Mali garnets are among the rarest garnet subtypes, offering strong clarity and transparency in many cases.
Spessartite garnet- also called spessartine – can have bright orange colouring, not unlike a pumpkin, or may lean red, yellow, or brown. However, the most popular variant is lively orange, sometimes referred to as Mandarin garnets, which is technically a tradename for a version of the stone.
Orange Jasper
Jasper is an opaque chalcedony mineral, and it’s available in a wide array of earthy hues, including orange. It’s also common to find a variety of patterns in natural jasper, including banding and mottling in other colours. Noreena jasper from Australia can feature orange, white, yellow, and red banding.
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Carrasite jasper may have orange swirls; orbicular jasper can feature interconnected orange spheres and other colours. With flame jasper, you get red and orange swirls, creating scenes that look like flames in many cases.
Orange Kyanite
Orange kyanite is the rarest version of kyanite, and it’s a relatively recent discovery, initially found in Tanzania in 2008. Manganese led to the striking hues, typically deeper oranges that lean slightly red. One challenge with orange kyanite’s hardness is unconventional, coming in at a 4.5 to 5 on the Mohs scale on one axis and a 6.5 to 7 on the other axis, so it’s potentially harder to work with and may not work well for daily wear.
Orange Sapphire (Padparadscha)
When people think of sapphire, it’s normal to envision a vibrant blue. However, there are orange sapphires, and they’re prized for their beauty and durability.
The padparadscha sapphire is incredibly intriguing, featuring pink, pale orange, and yellow mixes. The various colours are potentially seen in blended sections in the stone or as flashes after faceting.
Padparadscha sapphires are rare, as they’re only found in Madagascar, Sri Lanka, and Tanzania. Their name is derived from the Sanskrit word for “lotus flower,” and they commonly command high prices on the broader market.
Orange Sphalerite
Orange sphalerite is a translucent gemstone that offers up an exceptional lustre. However, since it’s soft – usually 3.5 to 4 on the Mohs hardness scale – it doesn’t always work well for jewelry. But since its refractive index is high, it’s occasionally faceted for pieces, but it’s best to limit wear to special occasions as a precaution.
Orange Sphene
Sphene is a calcium titanium silicate mineral that can come in earthy orange shades. Generally, it’s translucent and offers a fire that meets or exceeds what you often find in diamonds. Sphene can also exhibit pleochroism, leading to different colours depending on lighting and viewing angle. However, it’s softer, coming in at a 5 to 5.5 on the Mohs hardness scale, so it’s unsuitable for everyday wear.
Orange Spinel
Spinel is an oxide mineral that comes in many colours, but the presence of iron, magnesium, and zinc can lead to an orange hue. It offers excellent transparency and clarity, often rivalling sapphire and ruby in its brilliance. Plus, since it’s an 8 on the Mohs hardness scale, it’s highly durable, making it excellent for jewelry that’s worn daily.
Orange Topaz
Orange topaz is similar to imperial topaz but doesn’t typically exhibit pleochroism. Still, you get a vibrant orange shade – usually close to pumpkin – high transparency, and excellent fire, all in a durable stone that works well for daily wear. However, even these versions of topaz are rare, so they are potentially a bit of an investment.
Orange Tourmaline
Tourmaline comes in a rainbow’s worth of hues, with orange being one of the rarer options. Often, there near a 7 on the Mohs hardness scale, so they resist chipping and scratching quite well. The hue can vary from one stone to the next, with some being closer to a pumpkin and others a gentler peach. Some may even feature a cat’s eye effect; when that occurs, they’re often turned into cabochons to highlight it.
Orange Zircon
Orange zircon comes in several shades, ranging from subtle champagne to a brilliant red-orange, and some may even lean into earthy territory. Rose-orange versions from Tanzania are especially striking, as they have a unique warmth you don’t typically see in this colour range.
Depending on the base hue and composition, orange zircon typically fluoresces yellow or orange. Some may glow under specific types of UV light, too.
Palmwood Gemstone
The palmwood gemstone is essentially petrified palmwood. While many of the pieces feature shades of brown and white, orange versions are also available. The colours occur as chalcedony overtakes organic material, and the minerals provide solid durability. As a result, pieces are usually suitable for wear.
Peach Aventurine
When aventurine – a type of quartz that’s typically green – contains specific inclusions, it can lead to a soft peach colour instead. Peach aventurine can exhibit aventurescence, a glittering quality caused by microscopic metallic flakes. Since the stone is translucent, it essentially shimmers in the light, making it attractive for jewelry. With a Mohs hardness rating between 6.5 and 7, it’s also durable enough to withstand wear.
Sardonyx
Sardonyx is technically two stones in one, featuring stripes or bands of onyx and sard. Sard is a translucent chalcedony that comes in earthy hues, with orange as a potential shade. While most people associate onyx with the colour black, white onyx is what you’ll find in sardonyx.
Sunstone
Orange sunstone – also called Oregon sunstone due to its primary source being the state of Oregon – is known for the Schiller effect, where small inclusions in the translucent stone cause it to seemingly glow from within. This works particularly well with the base orange hue, which is typically a distinct red-orange due to the presence of copper.
Tangerine Quartz
Tangerine quartz is a quartz variety with a rusty orange colour resembling its namesake fruit. Technically, it’s a hematoid quartz, as it features hematite in its composition. As with all quartz, tangerine quartz is incredibly durable, making it suitable for daily wear.
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