How Many Purple Gemstones Do You Know? Here Are 13 Of Them.

Purple is a powerful color. Some of its clout stems from the fact that it's rarely found in nature. Indeed, only a few gems exhibit a dominant purple color. Fortunately, those that do are truly beautiful. Their colors range from pale and gentle to saturated and bold. You may have heard of some of these stones, but some may be new to you. Luckily, there are beautiful purple gemstones available at prices to accommodate any budget.

Amethyst: The Beloved Purple Gemstone.

Amethyst, the February birthstone, is arguably the most iconic purple gemstone. Its colors range from soft lilac to deep reddish-purple, offering stunning variety.

This gemstone is a quartz variety, one of the Earth's most abundant minerals. Its striking color, widespread availability, and affordability make amethyst the top choice among transparent purple gemstones.

Amethyst’s versatility makes it a favorite among jewelers. It appears in all types of designs, from high-end luxury pieces to simple birthstone jewelry. Transparent amethysts are often faceted, while translucent ones are shaped into cabochons or beads. For collectors, raw crystals attached to host rocks are especially appealing.

Interestingly, amethyst shares a close relationship with citrine, quartz’s yellow variety. Some quartz crystals even combine the two, creating a bicolored gem called ametrine. If you’re seeking something rare and playful, ametrine might be the perfect choice.

Purple Sapphire: A Rare and Resilient Gemstone.

Sapphire, often celebrated for its versatility and durability, stands out as one of the most reliable gemstones. Its wide range of colors and abundant supply make it a timeless favorite, cherished for centuries.

The striking purple hue in sapphire results from a unique mix of iron, titanium, and chromium impurities in its chemical structure. Depending on the concentration of these elements, purple sapphires may display subtle undertones of red or violet.

Many purple sapphires undergo heat treatments to enhance or alter their colors, often shifting them to pink. Since pink sapphires typically command higher prices per carat, this process boosts profitability for vendors. However, some purple sapphires remain untouched, preserving their natural beauty and offering a more affordable option for buyers. Dealers may refer to these gems as "rose sapphires" or "plum sapphires."

A fascinating phenomenon seen in rare purple sapphires is color change. These stones can appear reddish or violetish purple under incandescent light and shift to blue or green hues in daylight. Lab-created sapphires can also mimic this captivating effect. 

Tanzanite: A Gem of Colorful Depth.

Tanzanite, one of December's modern birthstones, is a fascinating gemstone known for its shifting colors. It displays three distinct hues—purple, violet, and blue—depending on the angle of view. This remarkable feature, known as pleochroism, makes tanzanite one of the most striking trichroic gems.

Tanzanites showcasing a dominant blue hue tend to command higher prices per carat than those emphasizing purple. As a result, most tanzanites available on the market are cut to maximize their blue appearance, with purple and violet flashes adding vibrancy. However, some cutters choose to highlight tanzanite's purple tones, making these gems rare and highly collectible.

Purple Tourmaline: Vibrant and Versatile.

Tourmaline is a durable gemstone that can appear in nearly every color, including purple. As one of October's birthstones, it offers remarkable clarity and can even display a dazzling cat's eye effect in certain specimens. Thankfully, purple tourmalines are often more affordable than other shades, such as red or pink, making them an attractive option for gemstone lovers.

Purple Garnet: January’s Unique Beauty.

Garnet, January's birthstone, comes in a variety of species and colors, including stunning purple hues. Garnets with almandine in their chemical makeup can exhibit a dominant purple color. These stones are often called rhodolites in the gem trade. While garnets may not match the hardness of tourmalines or sapphires, they remain durable enough for everyday wear.

Purple Spinel: A Rare August Gemstone.

Spinel, a modern birthstone for August, is a resilient gem known for its striking colors. Purple spinels showcase tones ranging from soft and light to rich and dark, with varying levels of saturation.

The purple hue in spinel comes from trace elements of iron and chromium. While not as popular as red, pink, or blue spinels, their relative obscurity keeps the price per carat lower, offering excellent value for these vibrant stones. 

Lavender Jade: A Delicate and Treasured Gem.

Lavender jade, a variety of jadeite, is known for its soft purple hues, never overly dark or saturated. While jade refers to both jadeite and nephrite, only jadeite naturally occurs in purple tones, earning it the name "lavender jade."

Among jadeite varieties, lavender is second only to green in value. Collectors often seek deeper colors, but some buyers favor light purple shades with gray undertones. The finest jadeite pieces have even, uniform coloring, though it’s more common to see mottled, uneven patterns in this gemstone.

Jade has held a special place in history, particularly in Asian cultures, for its beauty and practicality. Its softness allows intricate carving, while its strength makes it durable enough to hold sharp edges longer than iron. Jade ranges from semi-transparent to opaque, with greater clarity significantly increasing its value.

Another material, turkiyenite—often called "Turkish purple jade"—is sometimes sold as an alternative. While it contains some jadeite, this opaque gemstone is distinct from both jadeite and nephrite. Despite the difference, its rich purple hues make it ideal for carving exquisite jewelry and art. 

Purple Topaz: A Rare and Durable Beauty.

Topaz, one of November's birthstones, is known for its wide range of colors, including rare and stunning purple hues. While most recognized for yellow, red, orange, and blue tones, purple topaz occurs naturally and is highly sought after.

Topaz can be polished to an exceptionally smooth surface, sometimes described as "slippery" to the touch. With an impressive hardness of 8, it retains this polish and makes a durable choice for everyday wear.

Purple Spodumene (Kunzite): A Collector's Gem.

Kunzite, a variety of spodumene, is typically known for its pink hues, but rare crystals occasionally display a beautiful violetish-purple color. This gem is more popular among collectors than casual buyers, keeping its price-per-carat relatively low.

Kunzite can form in massive crystals, some exceeding 1,000 carats. Jewelers craft it into delicate accents or bold centerpieces. However, kunzite’s color is light-sensitive and prone to fading under heat or prolonged exposure to light. To preserve its beauty, reserve kunzite for evening wear and store it in cool, dark places.

Purple Scapolite: A Lesser-Known Alternative.

Purple scapolite shares similarities with amethyst but exhibits unique characteristics. Its shades of purple often lean toward violet or brownish tones, and it can fluoresce with vibrant pink, yellow, or orange colors under ultraviolet light—something amethyst does not typically do.

However, scapolite is softer than amethyst, with a hardness rating of 5.5-6. This makes it less suited for everyday wear. Protective settings are essential for scapolite jewelry, especially rings, to prevent damage.

Sugilite.

Translucent to opaque sugilite has a strong purple hue that may have violet, red, or even blueish undertones. These striking purple gemstones may contain other minerals that will appear as dark or light streaks within the gem. Gem faceters usually cut sugilites into cabochons and beads but only rarely into faceted pieces. You may find sugilite sold under trade names such as "Royal Lavulite," "Royal Azel," and "Cybelene."

Charoite.

For gemologists, a rock is a material composed of several different minerals in a single mass. Some rocks have the beauty and durability needed for gem use. Charoite is one such "gem rock" or "lapidary rock."

Made up of many minerals, including feldspar and quartz, charoite usually contains distinctive string-like, crimped, whiteish inclusions. Some in the gem trade call this "granny hair." Between these white streaks, you may also see white, gray, black, and possibly brownish orange spots.

Purple Fluorite.

Due to its softness and perfect cleavage in four directions, fluorite is quite fragile and usually considered a collector's stone. However, fluorites occur in many beautiful colors, including purple. Fluorite gems can range from transparent to fully opaque. Raw fluorite crystals can be very large, but their surfaces are generally quite pitted due to their softness. Any fluorites in jewelry should have protective settings.