Styling gemstones into your jewellery collection
For many of us, yellow or white gold forms the foundation — or the entirety — of our jewellery collection.
As your collection grows, you may be drawn towards adding more visually intriguing, artistic pieces; something different to add a statement to the usual stack.
If you have reached the point in your jewellery journey where you feel ready to explore gemstones in all their shapes and shades, we’ll help you find pieces that feel most special. Use this gemstone jewellery guide to get started.
Versatile gems to try first
The cliché about diamonds (and their irreplaceable spot in our lives) exists for a reason. Diamonds are a high quality precious stone that add refined femininity to an everyday stack. They catch the light while acting as a neutral tone, pairing with every look and style you wear. If you’re not sure where to start, add a diamond piece — and come back once you’ve inevitably fallen in love. For the perfect level of subtlety, we recommend the Soleil, Bezel or Dana Earrings.
If you’re looking for more near-neutrals to start with, we recommend opals and sapphires. Opals shine in an off-white tone, subtly reflecting a range of colours. Sapphires can appear muted and dark, bright and bold blue, or faded and light. For example, the Farah Ring is set with a seafoam teal sapphire that appears as a gorgeous grey-green. The Stella Earrings hold brilliant cut Australian sapphires in a deep, rich blue, adding interest to your outfit without overwhelming colour saturation.
Add eye-catching colour
The more you experiment with gemstones, the more vibrant colours and rich tones you will discover. Jewellery is one place where you can mix and match endless shapes and shades while maintaining a refined, feminine style.
Some gems will be muted in colour, while some are bold and bright. Start by considering the colours in your daily wardrobe: which do you gravitate towards? Some jewellery collectors prefer as neutral as possible, while others collect all colours available. Curate the pieces that feel most interesting and intriguing to you.
There are a wide range of gems and stones used in jewellery, which can be mixed and paired to form a collection that is unique to you. Consider adding these pieces to your collection:
〰️ Pink tourmaline, often appearing light, muted pink
〰️ Sapphire, the ultimate precious gemstone staple, next to diamonds
〰️ Opal, an almost-white favourite
〰️ Aquamarine, beloved for their individual appearance
〰️ Bold brights like chrysoprase and amethyst
How to stack and pair gemstones
When adding multiple gemstones to your look, you can balance it out visually in two ways.
The first is to maintain a cohesive feel in the jewellery that holds each stone. You may prefer keeping every piece the same solid gold colour, or mixing and matching white and yellow gold. We recommend wearing at least one or two pieces that contain no gemstones at all. The gold will form the backdrop to your gem-focused look, fading into the background without going unnoticed. These metal tones will bring out different colours in the gemstones, so explore combinations to see which suit you best. For example, yellow gold metal brings out the warmth in a green sapphire.
Second, consider the shape and size of each gemstone. Subtlety and minimalism work beautifully in each piece, particularly when bringing a wide range of gemstones together. Never underestimate the impact of a small sapphire or touch of amethyst. Brilliant cut gemstones will catch the light — and catch everyone’s eye — and pairing smaller stones creates immense visual appeal.
With these principles in mind, the possibilities are limitless. Bright purple tones of amethyst can be paired with muted pink tourmaline; vivid green chrysoprase makes a stand-out statement. Baby blue aquamarine is an ocean-reminiscent favourite, and sapphires truly go with everything. To experiment with sleek, sophisticated multicoloured gem pairings, start with our bestselling triple-gem Aliya Earrings — an iconic favourite of Elle Forma fans — or bold Rainbow Sapphire Hoops.
Gemstone buying guide
Gem jewellery will hold a forever place in your collection — we recommend buying long lasting pieces that transcend time. Many gemstones are, in their own right, timeless and classic, so focus on selecting high quality construction and solid gold materials to ensure your pieces can be passed between generations. Gems can be worn for both everyday looks and special occasions.
Elle Forma crafts wearable pieces of art with a focus on feminine and petite forms. We prioritise responsible gemstone buying through Australian gemstone suppliers and lapidarists. We select unique gemstone cuts including baguettes, trillion cut, asscher, emerald cut and round brilliant cut in differing hues.
Shop our Gems Edit to start.