The black gemstones are usually opaque, but can be translucent when found in thin crystals. While used mostly in tin production, fine specimens of the black rocks are also used as ornaments. Source: Rob Lavinsky, – CC-BY-SA-3.0 CassiteriteĬassiterite is a tin ore. Magnificent black crystals of cassiterite Zircons are abundant, hence the relatively inexpensive price of the black gemstones despite their gem quality. Zircon is general is a modern birthstone for the month of December in the United States, and the birthstone for September in the Hindu calendar. Beside red, yellow and green, zircons also occur as black stones. Zircons are excellent substitutes for diamonds and, like diamond, the precious stones come in a variety of colors. Source: Rob Lavinsky, – CC-BY-SA-3.0 Black Zircon

Garnet in general is the traditional and modern birthstone for the month of January, both in the US and Britain, as well as for the zodiac sign Aquarius. The black rocks come from either of two species of garnet, which are called pyrope and andradite, the black gemstones of the latter being specifically called melanite. While known mostly for their red color, garnets also occur as black stones. Source: Rob Lavinsky, – CC-BY-SA-3.0 Black Garnet Sapphire is also the birthstone of the zodiac sign Taurus. Sapphire used to be the traditional birthstone for the month of April along with diamond, but was made the modern birthstone for September, while designated as the July birthstone in the Hindu calendar. All these black gemstones are not strictly black in color, but of such a dark hue - whether bluish, purplish or other - that they look black. The black rocks may be translucent to transparent in clarity, if they were not among the so-called black star sapphires, which are opaque with a six-star shine. Sapphires come in all other colors, including white and black.

The mineral corundum, if not red in color - and therefore identified as ruby - is called sapphire. Source: greyloch via Wikimedia Commons Black Sapphire From the traditional birthstones of February and November, pearls in general have been made the birthstone of the month of June, both in the Western and Hindu calendar. Produced by the oyster Pinctada margaritifera, the black gemstones, also known as Tahitian pearls, are very rare - and accordingly more valuable because, compared to other oysters, the black pearl oysters turn out fewer amounts of the black stones. Pearls are not exclusively white there are black pearls too. Source: Brocken Inaglory via Wikimedia Commons Black Pearl Beryl, excluding emerald, is the birthstone of the zodiac sign Scorpio. While red beryl is rarest, the black gemstones are also very rare, with small supply of the black stones coming from Mozambique and Madagascar. Pure beryl is clear, but impurities give beryl different colors, including yellow and green - which makes the beryl an emerald. THE BLACK DIAMOND : From Obscurity to Fashion.Diamonds in general are the traditional and modern birthstones for the month of April, both in the Western and Hindu calendar. The black precious stones are found in the Central African Republic and Brazil. Being the rare kind, the black jewels are more expensive than white diamonds. Various impurities in the precious stones give the diamonds extremely dark color that they look black. Diamonds also occur as black stones, though the black gems are not entirely black. No, diamonds are not necessarily clear or white they come in almost all colors, including red. Source: Ra’ike via Wikimedia Commons A small piece of black diamond known as carbonado Black Diamond Opals in general are the traditional and modern birthstones for the month of October. Most of the world’s supply of the black jewels comes from Australia.

Unlike white opals, the black gems are among the rarest, and accordingly the most valuable. Because of the dark background, the colors diffracted by the black stones stand out quite strikingly. Opals, not only reflect all colors, but come in all shades of body tone, including black. Beating diamonds for their value and price are black opals.

Black and purple gems