Semi-precious gems are becoming increasingly popular in modern jewelry design as women celebrate their individuality. Rightly so. These stones provide an almost unlimited palette of colors and textures, and their look and feel can change the look of an outfit or even the mood of the wearer. Because they are less expensive than the traditional "precious" gems, you can wear them to more places, more often And because semi-precious gems are less expensive, you can buy larger pieces that really show off their beauty and unique qualities.

In case you aren’t familiar with all the choices available to you in semi-precious stones, the following list provides an overview of some of the more popular and beautiful options:

Agate: Agates are among the oldest stones and are commonly associated with protective powers. They come in many colors and distinctive patterns, although the presence of curved bands of a secondary color is among the most distinctive characteristics. Some of the more popular agates being used in jewelry include Blue Lace Agate, Mohave Blue Agate, Fire Agate, and Tree Agate.

Amber: Amber is the common name for fossilized tree sap. It has been used as a gemstone as far back as the Neolithic period. Most pieces are between 30 and 90 million years old, so wearing a small bit of amber connects us to the earth in a very profound way. Amber colors range from clear yellows to deeper orange hues. Because it was originally liquid in form, many pieces of amber contain insects or other materials that can increase the beauty, interest, and value of the piece.

Carnelian: A reddish-brown variety of chalcedony, carnelian was commonly used as the backdrop for the carved cameos seen in broaches and pendants. It can vary from a nearly transparent rust-red to a deeper, almost opaque stone. Because of its relative hardness, it can be carved and has been used in many beautiful designs.

Chrysoprase: Chrysoprase, ranges from a pale apple green to a deep, emerald hue. It also varies in opacity from almost translucent to nearly opaque, providing a variety of options in jewelry design. Because it is a fairly hard stone, it can be used for beads, carved, or set into traditional gemstone cuts. It is said to be one of the twelve precious gems that, according to Revelations, formed the foundation stones of New Jerusalem.

Coral: Although it is not a gemstone in the pure sense of the word, coral it has been a common element in jewelry designs for thousands of years. Its surface can range from a soft, creamy texture that begs to be touched to an almost sponge-like surface of large pores. It can be rosy peach in color to a deep, dark red and every shade in between. Compared to the gemstones in the quartz family, it is more fragile and needs to be treated with care in the design process.

Garnet: Garnets have been popular as gemstones since the Bronze Age. They come in colors ranging from black to yellow, but they are most commonly associated with the deep red color and opacity of pomegranate seeds, from which the stones most likely derived their name. Some garnets can change color depending on the light conditions under which you view them. The recently discovered (and rare) blue garnet, for example, changes from blue-green in daylight to purple under incandescent lighting.

Hematite: An iron-based mineral, Hematite was extremely popular in the Victorian era, and it has been gaining in popularity in the past 50 years, especially as an element in Native American jewelry design. It can vary in color from red to black, including varying shades of gray.

Jade: Also called "the stone of heaven", in the Chinese culture jade is considered the most precious stone and is prized in the same way that Western cultures value diamonds or gold. It was also used in Korean, Meso-American and Maori cultures in some cases as far back as prehistoric times. In its most common variety, jade is a beautiful green color, but it also comes in white, black, yellow, pink, blue, lavender, and red. In jewelry design, it is most often sold in a smooth shape or a cabochon cut, but it can also be carved into beautiful and intricate designs. Jade ha

Jasper: A smooth stone with a creamy texture, Jasper comes in a red, pink, brown, yellow, green, gray, and various blue and purple shades. It can be solid or patterned by rich veining that gives it the appearance of stripes, bands, or spots. It is popular in Southwestern jewelry, and some Native American cultures believe it can bring rain. In other cultures, it is thought to be a general healing stone, or to ward off evil.

Lapis Lazuli: Valued for jewelry and decorations as far back as the Neolithic period, lapis is a beautiful blue stone with colors so vibrant that it was used to create the blue pigment for paint in the middle ages and renaissance. Some of the most beautiful art work in the world owes its beauty in no small measure to lapis lazuli.

Malachite: A lovely, deep green stone, malachite is commonly accented by bands of white or black. It has been used in jewelry design as far back as the ancient Egyptians and is believed to aid the wearer in achieving intuition, insight, and balance.

Moonstone: Transparent and ethereal, moonstone is a slightly iridescent, milky-white stone that appears both mysterious and mystical. The play of light deep inside the stone is caused by inclusions of various Feldspars and gives this gem the appearance of moonlight.

Obsidian: Most commonly, people thinking of obsidian consider the black variety of this minerloid, but obsidian also comes in dark green and brown varieties. It can have striking and unusual patterns due to crystalline inclusions, or it can seem to bubble with rainbows of color. In essence, it is a naturally formed glass that is volcanic in origin, so it is fragile compared to other gemstones, and all the more magical. In jewelry design, it is usually used in a smooth or cabochon cut.

Onyx: Representing the zodiac sign, Leo, onyx is associated with strength and vitality. It is believed to help the wearer find their individual strong points, and has been valued by men throughout the ages. Increasingly, it is being adopted by women. It comes is a large variety of colors, and is strongly banded with bands of white or alternating hues. It is always unique and interesting.

Tiger’s Eye: Among the most popular forms of cats eye stones, Tiger’s Eye is highly prized for its ability to bounce light off the surface in a way that resembles a moving cat’s eye. The yellow color combined with the cat’s eye effect make Tiger’s Eye invoke all the mystery, majesty, and fire of the great cat of Blake’s poem: Tiger, Tiger burning bright…

Tourmaline: Among the most beautiful of semi-precious gems, tourmalines come in an almost limitless variety of colors from pink to red, various shades of green, blue, yellow and orange. "Watermelon" tourmalines have a pink or red interior surrounded by green. Other tourmalines can graduate in color, with two-color stones called bi-colored, or tri-colored in the case of three color gradients. Still other tourmalines can show light in the classic ‘cats eye’ effect that is beautiful in a cabochon cut.