Red: the color of fire, love, passion, anger, and luck. If red is your favorite color, then you know just how versatile the color is. Red means totally different things across different cultures, beliefs, and even in shades. All these different meanings and feelings associated with red carry over to red jewelry as well. With the dozens of precious red stones on the market, red has become one of the most popular colored gemstone options.
If red is your favorite color, you probably already know how gorgeous red jewelry is. Red jewelry is fiery, sexy, and radiant. Wearing red jewelry feels like you are on top of the world and radiating with love, passion, and heat! If you want to feel this good, read this article and find out how to wear the red stones to their fullest potential.
The Red Stones
Ruby:
When you think of a red gemstone the first thing that comes to mind is usually Ruby. Ruby is the quintessential and iconic red gemstone and has been the most famous red gemstone for centuries. As part of the corundum family, the same family as sapphires, they are super hard stones and have the added bonus of being super rich. Ruby is highly sought after for its radiant hues and for its deep rich saturation. However, the prettiest natural growing rubies can be on the pricier side, that's, why lab-created rubies, have become a popular choice. Lab rubies look the same, feel the same, and act the same. The only difference is their origin.
Wearing Ruby: Ruby is super easy to wear. Typically, it is worn on the hand as a ring or bracelet, but recently ruby pendants and earrings have started to become increasingly popular. If you are someone who wants to make a statement and show the whole room that you love red, then any ruby jewelry option will work in your favor. If your birthday is in July, then you can also wear ruby proudly as your birthstone.
What to wear ruby with: Ruby looks great when paired with diamonds. The red and white contrast is exceptional and is even more amazing on wedding rings. At Dunkin’s Diamonds we offer many different ruby and diamond combination pieces each with its own unique radiance and flare. You should also wear ruby with black and white suits or dresses they look super high class when worn together, just a suggestion.
More info: If you would like to learn all about the ruby precious gemstone you can read more about them here.
Red Diamond:
If you are a collector of rare and fine gemstones, then the red diamond is certainly what you're looking for. As the rarest, most expensive, and arguably the most beautiful variety of diamonds on the market it's a collector's dream. Only a few truly red mined diamonds have ever been found making them extremely valuable. They are so rare that most jewelers themselves have never seen a red diamond in real life. These red diamonds are referred to as the “blood diamond” (not to be confused with mined diamonds associated with war and conflict, that is a different “blood diamond. At Dunkin’s Diamonds we don't like those or sell them.)
Can't afford a mined red diamond? if you are like most of us and don't have a couple of a million laying around, you can always get a lab-grown red diamond. These diamonds, much like, pink, blue, purple, and even orange diamonds are less expensive and more accessible.
Wearing a red diamond: This gemstone is often associated with the big 60-year wedding anniversary. The diamond is reserved for this occasion because 60 years of marriage is almost as rare as the stone itself. Who wouldn't want to celebrate a massive achievement with one of the rarest stones imaginable? You can wear a red diamond practically anywhere you want but it's most often seen on rings. This is because the stone is seen as super precious and you want to keep it close to you at all times where you can see it or show it off.
What to wear red diamond with: Like red gemstones you can wear them with practically any metal type or side stone without fearing that it will clash. There are only a few cases where red doesn't look good on jewelry, and that only happens when someone dislikes the color red. However, I'm assuming that if you are reading this article, you are a fan of red or are at least shopping for someone who is, so you won't have to worry about that. If you plan on wearing a genuine red diamond mined straight from mother earth, we’d recommend pairing the ring with a couple of bodyguards. The bodyguards not only help to protect the gemstone from theft but also act as a way to make you look important.
Garnet:
A super-duper red gemstone that will never disappoint a red color fan. Unlike its neighboring precious stones, garnet is much more affordable and readily available for purchase. Regardless of size or shape, you will be able to pick yourself a nice garnet piece with little to no hassle. Plus, even though garnets can come in a multitude of colors, red is by far the most popular and most sought-after variation of garnet.
Wearing Garnet: Garnet can be worn just like any other precious stone, on a necklace, on a ring, etc. However, Garnet looks exceptional on earrings especially in large sizes as they tend to draw a lot of attention. The deep dark red hues of garnet look their best at a large scale where you can truly appreciate their beauty. That's why they are often associated with the maximalist style where you either go big or go home. Plus, if you are a January baby you should wear a multitude of garnets to show off how much you love your birth month.
What to wear Garnet with: Garnet has a huge variety of gorgeous neutral and earthy red tones so there are many interesting outfits that can work well with it. Brilliant white dresses or earthy green toned dresses will make for a stunning impression at any party or get-together.
Red Apatite:
If you don't yet have an appetite for apatite, then you are certainly missing out. This gemstone, typically seen in its green or blue color, has a beautiful red variation that radiates warmth and love. Out of the few colors that apatite is generally found in red is certainly one of the rarest. Red apatite’s rich red color often gets confused for that of rubies radiant red hues making it a perfect budget alternative.
Fun fact: Apatite is made from the same substances that our teeth are made out of. Now we are convinced “apatite” stones and its relation to the word “appetite” can't be a coincidence.
Wearing Apatite: Apatite is usually worn on a pendant or as an earring. This is because red apatite is a softer stone scoring only a 5 on the Mohs scale of mineral hardness. If you decide to get a ring or a bracelet with apatite you risk damaging or scratching your stone more often. When purchasing appetite make sure to plan around it being slightly more fragile. This should not hinder your outfit in anyway it’s just something you need to be aware of when you wear apatite.
What to wear Red Apatite with: red apatite can be worn with the same things that ruby can be worn with. Diamonds for example make great additions to any apatite piece. Read the Ruby section above for more information.
Red tourmaline
As the gemstone variety that comes in every color under the rainbow it of course has a red variety, and it certainly knocks this color out of the park. The red variety of tourmaline has one of the most strikingly vibrant red hues amongst all the stones out there on Mother Earth. There are dozens of variations of red tourmaline making each stone unique. With red tourmaline, no 2 people will have the exact same mined tourmaline piece, unless they were cut from the same stone of course.
Wearing Red Tourmaline: Wearing red tourmaline isn't as easy as picking a stone, picking a setting or style, and wearing it. There are so many color options to choose from, your best bet is to buy a premade setting and shop by the finished piece. That way you can wear your red tourmaline at its greatest potential.
What to wear red tourmaline with: you can wear red tourmaline with almost any outfit. Since there are an unlimited number of tints and shades of red tourmaline you can pick one out that matches your favorite outfit or vice versa.
Honorable Mentions:
- Carnelian: Also known as the “sunset stone” carnelian is perfect for those who love that deep red-orange color that we all associate with sunsets.
- Red Spinel: Usually a gorgeous blue stone, spinel can actually become red when exposed to impurities. This gorgeous stone symbolizes hope and rejuvenation.
- Red Zircon: One of the most vibrant red stones on the market for a significantly lower price than most red stones. The color does tend to have a little bit of a yellowy-orange tinge to it making it not a perfect red, but gorgeous, nonetheless.
- Japanese Red coral: this organic stone found in the deep seas of Japan is very rare and very precious. Originating from Japan, the finder of the stone is believed to have increased luck and fortune.
- Fire Opal: A gorgeous stone with yellow, orange, and red hues that create this radiant gradient of color that is similar to that of a flame. These opals form deep in volcanoes and get their color from variations in pressure and trace elements.
Rock that red!
Looks like you made it this far and still haven’t purchased a red gemstone, we are surprised! Red stones are so enticing even the most responsible buyers cave into buying one. Well, at least now you know all your options, so maybe it’s better that you waited. Regardless, its time for you feel the radiance of red jewelry and rock that red.