20 Types of Orange Gemstones for Jewelry

Orange Diamond

Next to red and purple diamonds, the orange precious stone is the rarest of diamonds. Like the rest of its kind, this orange rock is the hardest of minerals, and endowed with a high refractive index that makes this orange jewel shine brilliantly. For this reason, diamond is the most expensive of orange gemstones. Diamond in general is the birthstone for April. In astrology, diamond is the birthstone of the zodiac sign Aries. See —

Orange Sapphire

Though most popular in blue, sapphire also occurs as orange stones. A highly valuable, pinkish orange variety of sapphire is given its own name, padparadscha. Hence, beside ruby and sapphire, the mineral corundum is also separately known by its orange variety padparadscha. Though traditionally a birthstone for April, sapphire was made the modern birthstone for September. In astrology, sapphire is the birthstone of the zodiac sign Taurus.

Orange Sunstone

Sunstone is a feldspar mineral, consisting of either oligoclase or orthoclase, that may display a colored core or particles thereof within a transparent crystal. Along with other colors, sunstone also occurs as orange crystals. Beside Norway, this orange gemstone is also found in the United States of America, particularly in the State of Oregon, which designated sunstone as the state’s official gem.

Orange Topaz

Beside yellow and blue, topaz also occurs as orange stones. These orange gemstones come from two varieties of topaz, namely, precious topaz and imperial topaz, which is a pinkish orange and the more valuable of the two. Topaz is the traditional and modern birthstone for November. In astrology, topaz is the birthstone of Sagittarius.

Clinohumite

A gemstone related to peridot, clinohumite occurs as orange stones. Transparent to translucent in clarity, these orange crystals are yellowish in color, with glassy luster and a hardness of 6 in the Mohs scale. There are only two known sources of this orange gem: Tajikistan and Siberia.

Orange Tourmaline

Found in all the colors of the rainbow, tourmaline likewise occurs as orange stones. These orange crystals can be brownish in color. Others, however, lack a visible brown undertone, and can even be a bright orange, which make them highly sought after. The latter orange tourmalines are quite rare, and accordingly more valuable. Tourmaline is regarded as a birthstone for the month of October. In astrology, tourmaline is a birthstone for Leo.

Orange Garnet

Though most commonly red, garnet also occurs as orange stones. These orange gemstones come from several species of garnet, including spessartine and grossular. An orange variety called Malaya garnet is a combination of spessartine and pyrope garnet. Garnet is the traditional and modern birthstone for January. In astrology, garnet is the birthstone of the zodiac sign Aquarius.

Orange Zircon

Zircon is an excellent gemstone often made a substitute to diamond on account of the former’s fine quality. While most popular in blue, zircon also occurs as orange stones. These orange crystals come from the variety of zircon called hyacinth, which is the birthstone for January in the Old Italian and Russian calendar. In astrology, zircon is associated with the zodiac sign Virgo.

Orange Opal

Though most commonly white, opal also occurs as orange stones. While in the case of the precious opal, the orange appears among the play of colors on the surface of the gem, one variety of opal can be entirely orange. This orange gem is called fire opal, also known as jelly opal when lacking the play of colors. Opal is the modern birthstone for October. In astrology, opal is the birthstone of the zodiac sign Libra.

Orange Sphalerite

Sphalerite is a mineral ore of zinc. Beside green and red, gem-quality sphalerite also occurs as orange crystals. This orange gemstone is transparent to translucent in clarity, and gives off a brilliant luster. The hardness of this orange gem is pegged at 3.5 to 4 in the Mohs scaled, and is indeed relatively soft for use in jewelry.

Orange Beryl

Known as emerald when green and aquamarine when blue, beryl also occurs as orange stones. This orange gemstone comes from the variety of beryl called morganite, though the latter is more popularly known to be pink. Beryl was a traditional birthstone for October. In astrology, beryl is the birthstone of the zodiac sign Scorpio.

Want to see the rarest of these orange gemstones? See also —

Citrine

Citrine is the name applied to the yellow variety of quartz. In reality though, citrine varies in shade from yellow to brown, with orange in between. The orange gemstone is quite rare, with most of “citrine” stones circulating in the market being heat-treated quartz. The orange stone is also found as a layer of ametrine, a naturally occurring mixture of amethyst and citrine. Citrine is a traditional and modern birthstone for November.

Orange Fluorite

Available in a lot of colors, fluorite also occurs as orange stones. These orange crystals can be very vivid in color, and even fluorescent: a word derived from the name of the gemstone itself. The weakness of this orange gemstone lies in its hardness, which is pegged at only 4 in the Mohs scale.

Orange Amber

Counted among the very few organic gemstones, amber is fossilized resin. Though popularly yellow, amber also occurs as orange crystals. This orange gemstone may have animals or plants inside them, and is often more valuable with the presence of such inclusions. In astrology, amber is a birthstone of the zodiac sign Taurus.

Carnelian

Carnelian is a variety of chalcedony, which is the translucent to opaque form of quartz. Though popularly known to be red, carnelian occurs as orange stones. In fact, many of the finest carnelians are orange gems of translucent clarity. Carnelian is the traditional birthstone of August. In astrology, carnelian is the birthstone of the zodiac sign Virgo. See also Carnelian: Stone of Passion.

Peach Moonstone

Moonstone is a gemstone made up of many layers of feldspar, which refracts light in between, giving the gemstone the look of glowing from within. While most popularly white, moonstone also occurs as orange stones, though this variety is better known as peach moonstone. Moonstone is a birthstone for June. In astrology, moonstone is the birthstone of the zodiac sign Cancer. See also Moonstone: Stone of Security.

Sardonyx

From the words sard and onyx, sardonyx is the red-and-white variety of onyx, a kind of agate that is otherwise black and white in color. Sardonyx is composed of white bands of chalcedony and red bands of sard, a red mineral very similar to carnelian. The white bands of sardonyx render the gemstone looking orange overall. This orange gemstone is an alternate modern birthstone in Britain, and a traditional birthstone for the months of July, August and September. In astrology, the banded orange stone is a birthstone for Leo. See also Sardonyx: Stone of Valor.

Orange Agate

Agate is the banded variety of chalcedony, which is the translucent to opaque form of quartz. Some agate varieties occur with orange bands. These semi-precious stones include the sardonyx, lion agate, Montana agate and plume agate. Agate in general is the traditional birthstone for the months of May and June. In astrology, agate is the birthstone of the zodiac sign Gemini. See also Agate: Stone of Prudence.

Palm Wood

Palm wood, or more accurately petrified palm wood, is a gemstone produced out of fossilized wood. Beside white and brown, palm wood also occurs as orange stones. This orange gemstone is a form of chalcedony, and is indeed hard and suitable for jewelry. Palm wood was made the state stone of Texas, as well as the state fossil of Louisiana.

Picasso Marble

While picasso marble is popularly known as picasso jasper, this gemstone is no true jasper, but a metamorphic limestone that displays patchwork-like patterns akin to the paintings of Pablo Picasso, hence the name Picasso marble. Beside red and green, picasso marble may also have patches of orange.

Peach Aventurine

While most popularly green, aventurine also occurs as orange stones, as well as peach. A variety of chalcedony, this semiprecious orange stone is distinguished for its shimmering effect known as aventurescence, which is caused by platy mineral inclusions. In astrology, aventurine is a birthstone for the zodiac sign Taurus.

Orange Gemstones in Jewelry

Do you like having orange stones as ornaments? Orange gemstones are a bright, fiery stones to wear in jewelry. Think bright, be sunny, wear orange gems.