If you’re looking for an easy and timeless way to accessorize, look no further than white gemstone jewelry. With a variety of stones to choose from, in a color that matches with everything, you can always be effortlessly chic and be you. Keep reading to illuminate the answers to your questions about white gems and how to dazzle in them.
White Gemstones and Jewelry: A Match Made in Heaven
By Erin McIntyre
Published: 08/08/2023
Modified: 08/08/2023
In white gems, you are sure to be complimented for your pristine style.
What Does the Color White Mean?
The color white has accumulated many positive meanings over time. In Western culture, it is used to illustrate simplicity, minimalism, freshness and cleanness. It also represents goodness, purity and peace and is the classic bridal color.
Depending on how you style it, white jewelry can add a crisp and modern touch or an ethereal and angelic vibe to your look. If you’re a bride, it is the perfect complement to your wedding dress that will add sparkle and texture without distracting from you and your gown.
How to Style White Gemstone Jewelry
One of the best things about white jewelry is that it comes in one of the most versatile colors of all time. White goes with nearly everything; even traditionally prohibited combinations like white and cream are now considered stylish. Therefore, with any white accessories that you purchase, you can expect to get a lot of use out of them.
That being said, there are some specific outfits that look especially flattering with certain kinds of white gemstones. In the following section, we’ll go over how you can create stunning effects with some of the most exquisite and popular white stones.
Pearls
Nothing exudes vintage charm quite like a strand of pearls, but at the same time, pearl jewelry is also trending as a modern, simple expression of luxury. Whether you opt for the affordable freshwater kind or the pricier saltwater variety, pearls possess an entrancing luminous sheen.
With a Mohs Hardness Scale ranking of only 2.5-4, you may want to save these gems for special occasions and you’ll definitely want to handle them with caution. A good rule to follow is that your pearls should be the last thing you put on and the first thing you take off. This minimizes exposure to cosmetics and hair products, which can damage these delicate gems. Also be sure to store pearls separately from your other jewelry - many other gemstones are much harder and are likely to scratch softer ones.
Diamond
Diamond is not only the hardest gemstone, ranking at 10 on the Mohs Scale, but it is also safe to say it is the most famous and coveted gem in the world. Every woman needs at least one in her jewelry collection, but then again, it’s hard to stop at just one.
Diamond jewelry looks equally flattering styled up or down; whether you use it to elevate a knit sweater and jeans or to tie together a formal look for a night out. These gems are also wonderfully easy to take care of. Whenever your diamond jewelry requires a cleaning, simply wash it using warm, mild soap water with a soft brush.
Moonstone
Moonstone jewelry possesses a truly out-of-this-world kind of beauty, evocative of the celestial forms above us. This white gem contains the faintest tint of pastel gray-blue, its striking, shimmery visual effect created by miniscule layers of the different minerals that make up the stone. Moonstone is an enchanting accessory to wear if you have a whimsical and artistic style.
With a rating on the Mohs Hardness Scale of 6-6.5, moonstone is far from the softest stone, but you should still handle it carefully. Storing it near harder gems, such as diamond or sapphire, is likely to cause scratches. When cleaning, you also shouldn’t scrub moonstone too hard - it’s best to use a soft cloth.
White Opal
White opal is like a pastel version of opal, punctuated by the same gorgeous mosaic of multicolored flecks that makes classic opal so iconic. Some stones are highly opaque and milky white, while others are just slightly cloudy and allow more light to pass through. The magical and mystical look of white opal makes it another excellent accent for those with artistic and free-spirited fashion sensibilities.
Just be sure to wear and handle white opal with some caution, as it only has a hardness level of 5-6.5 on the Mohs Scale. Harder gemstones will scratch opal stones if you store them alongside each other. Opal jewelry is also often composed of doublets and triplets (layers of opal attached to layers of other minerals, plastic or glass) and liquids can dissolve the glue that holds them together.
Additional White Gemstones
- Fabulite
- Moissanite
- Mother of pearl
- Quartz
- Sapphire
- Topaz
- Zircon
Frequently Asked Questions About White Gemstone Jewelry
What are white gemstones that look like diamonds?
Moissanite, fabulite, white topaz, white zircon, white sapphire and zircon all resemble diamonds.
Which gemstones are solid white?
Examples of solid white gemstones include pearl, mother of pearl, white opal and moonstone.
Which gemstones are clear white?
Examples of clear white gemstones include diamond, moissanite, fabulite, quartz, white topaz, white zircon and white sapphire.
What is the meaning of white gemstones?
While each gemstone has its own individual folklore and spiritual properties attached to it, in general, white gems are associated with simplicity, cleanness, goodness, purity and peace.
Erin McIntyre
When it comes to white gemstones, Erin loves the vintage aesthetic of pearls and how she feels like an Old Hollywood starlet or a First Lady while wearing them.
