Gems by Size

Gemstone types grouped by typical size

VERY LARGE STONES (50+ carats)

Gem Type Typical Size
Anyolite 5-100+ carats (commercial: 10-50 carats; typically carved or cabochon, large pieces common)
Rainbow Fluorite 5-100+ carats (commercial: 10-50 carats; typically larger decorative pieces)
Amethyst 1-100+ carats (commercial: 3-30 carats; very large clean stones commonly available)
Citrine 1-100+ carats (commercial: 3-50 carats; large sizes readily available)
Smoky Quartz 1-100+ carats (commercial: 5-50 carats; large clean stones readily available)
Blue Topaz 1-100+ carats (commercial: 3-50 carats; very large sizes readily available due to treatment)
Kunzite 1-100+ carats (commercial: 5-50 carats; very large clean crystals available)
Diamond 0.01-100+ carats (commercial: 0.25-5 carats; exceptional stones can exceed 100 carats)

LARGE STONES (20-50 carats)

Gem Type Typical Size
Sodalite 5-50 carats (commercial: 10-30 carats; typically cabochons, large pieces available)
Aquamarine 1-50+ carats (commercial: 2-20 carats; large clean stones common, can exceed 100 carats)
Morganite 1-50+ carats (commercial: 2-20 carats; large clean stones are readily available)
Rose Quartz 1-50+ carats (commercial: 5-30 carats; typically cabochons, large sizes common)
Ametrine 1-50 carats (commercial: 3-25 carats; large clean stones available from Bolivia)
Black Tourmaline 1-50 carats (commercial: 2-20 carats; large sizes available, rarely faceted)
Yellow Topaz 1-50 carats (commercial: 2-25 carats; large sizes available)
White Topaz 1-50 carats (commercial: 2-30 carats; large clean stones very common)
Purple Fluorite 1-50+ carats (commercial: 5-30 carats; large clean stones common but soft)
Green Fluorite 1-50+ carats (commercial: 5-30 carats; large specimens readily available)
Fluorite 1-50+ carats (commercial: 5-30 carats; very large stones available, softness limits use)
Calcite 1-50+ carats (commercial: 5-30 carats; large stones available but very soft)
Sapphire 0.5-50+ carats (commercial: 1-10 carats; large fine stones available but expensive)
Tanzanite 0.5-50+ carats (commercial: 1-15 carats; large clean stones available but expensive)

MEDIUM TO LARGE STONES (10-30 carats)

Gem Type Typical Size
Heliodor 1-30 carats (commercial: 2-15 carats; medium to large sizes available)
Yellow Sapphire 1-30 carats (commercial: 2-15 carats; large stones more available than ruby)
Prasiolite 1-30 carats (commercial: 3-15 carats; medium to large sizes available)
Moonstone 1-30 carats (commercial: 3-15 carats; cabochons typically, larger sizes available)
Peridot 1-30 carats (commercial: 2-15 carats; larger stones available but eye-clean material is limiting)
Blue Fluorite 1-30 carats (commercial: 3-20 carats; less common than other colors in large sizes)
Rubellite 0.5-30 carats (commercial: 1-15 carats; clean stones in larger sizes available)
Verdelite 0.5-30 carats (commercial: 1-20 carats; larger sizes more available than blue)
Blue Zircon 0.5-30 carats (commercial: 2-15 carats; large sizes available)
Yellow Zircon 0.5-30 carats (commercial: 1-15 carats; medium to large sizes available)
Imperial Topaz 0.5-30 carats (commercial: 1-10 carats; fine color over 10 carats is rare)
Almandine 1-20 carats (commercial: 2-10 carats; large stones common and affordable)
Hessonite 1-20 carats (commercial: 2-12 carats; large sizes available)
Sunstone 1-20 carats (commercial: 2-10 carats; Oregon sunstone can be larger)
Orthoclase 1-20 carats (commercial: 2-10 carats; faceted material less common)
Iolite 1-20 carats (commercial: 2-10 carats; medium sizes common, very large stones less available)
Andalusite 1-20 carats (commercial: 2-10 carats; medium sizes most common)
Goshenite 0.5-20 carats (commercial: 1-10 carats; larger sizes available but less in demand)
Pink Sapphire 0.5-20 carats (commercial: 1-8 carats; larger untreated stones are less common)
Red Spinel 0.5-20 carats (commercial: 1-8 carats; fine stones over 10 carats are rare)
Pink Spinel 0.5-20 carats (commercial: 1-10 carats; larger sizes more available than red)
Indicolite 0.5-20 carats (commercial: 1-10 carats; larger clean stones uncommon)
Watermelon Tourmaline 0.5-20 carats (commercial: 1-10 carats; typically cut as slices)
White Zircon 0.5-20 carats (commercial: 1-10 carats; typically cut small as diamond alternative)
Hyacinth 0.5-20 carats (commercial: 1-10 carats; medium sizes most common)
Pink Topaz 0.5-20 carats (commercial: 1-8 carats; natural pink in larger sizes is rare)
Yellow Chrysoberyl 0.5-20 carats (commercial: 1-10 carats; cat's eye typically smaller)
Green Apatite 0.5-20 carats (commercial: 1-10 carats; medium sizes available)
Hiddenite 0.5-20 carats (commercial: 1-8 carats; larger stones less common than kunzite)
Sphene (Titanite) 0.5-20 carats (commercial: 1-8 carats; larger clean stones are uncommon)
Sphalerite 0.5-20 carats (commercial: 1-8 carats; fragility limits cutting of large stones)
Emerald 0.25-20 carats (commercial: 0.5-5 carats; clean stones over 10 carats are rare)
Ruby 0.25-20 carats (commercial: 0.5-5 carats; fine quality stones over 10 carats are extremely rare)

SMALL TO MEDIUM STONES (under 10 carats)

Gem Type Typical Size
Grossular 1-15 carats (commercial: 2-8 carats; size varies by color variety)
Spessartine 0.5-15 carats (commercial: 1-8 carats; Mandarin garnets typically smaller)
Blue Spinel 0.5-15 carats (commercial: 1-5 carats; cobalt blue typically smaller, over 5 carats rare)
Blue Apatite 0.5-15 carats (commercial: 1-8 carats; larger eye-clean stones uncommon)
Padparadscha Sapphire 0.5-10 carats (commercial: 1-5 carats; fine stones over 5 carats are rare)
Pyrope 0.5-10 carats (commercial: 1-5 carats; typically found in smaller sizes)
Andradite 0.5-10 carats (commercial: 1-5 carats; most varieties in smaller sizes)
Yellow Apatite 0.5-10 carats (commercial: 1-5 carats; typically smaller sizes)
Rhodochrosite 0.5-10 carats (commercial: 1-5 carats; faceted stones typically small, cabochons larger)
Bastnasite 0.5-10 carats (commercial: 1-5 carats; faceted stones rare and typically small)
Blue Kyanite 0.5-10 carats (commercial: 1-5 carats; typically smaller faceted stones)
Sillimanite 0.5-10 carats (commercial: 1-5 carats; cat's eye varieties typically smaller)
Epidote 0.5-10 carats (commercial: 1-5 carats; typically small faceted stones)
Axinite 0.5-10 carats (commercial: 1-5 carats; collector stones typically under 5 carats)
Chondrodite 0.5-10 carats (commercial: 1-5 carats; facetable material is uncommon and usually small)
Tsavorite 0.25-10 carats (commercial: 0.5-3 carats; clean stones over 5 carats are rare)
Alexandrite 0.25-10 carats (commercial: 0.5-3 carats; stones over 5 carats with strong change are very rare)
Paraiba Tourmaline 0.1-10 carats (commercial: 0.25-3 carats; stones over 5 carats are exceptionally rare)

VERY SMALL STONES (typically under 3 carats)

Gem Type Typical Size
Orange Kyanite 0.5-5 carats (commercial: 1-3 carats; rare and typically small)
Staurolite 0.5-5 carats (commercial: 1-3 carats; faceted stones rare and small)
Demantoid 0.25-5 carats (commercial: 0.5-2 carats; stones over 3 carats are very rare)
Taaffeite 0.1-5 carats (commercial: 0.25-2 carats; most stones under 2 carats)
Benitoite 0.1-5 carats (commercial: 0.25-2 carats; stones over 2 carats are very rare)
Jeremejevite 0.1-5 carats (commercial: 0.25-2 carats; museum-quality stones typically under 3 carats)
Grandidierite 0.1-5 carats (commercial: 0.25-2 carats; faceted stones over 3 carats are rare)
Musgravite 0.1-3 carats (commercial: 0.25-1 carat; extremely rare in any size)
Painite 0.1-3 carats (commercial: 0.25-1 carat; extremely rare in any size)
Serendibite 0.1-3 carats (commercial: 0.25-1 carat; exceptionally rare, most under 2 carats)
Bixbite 0.1-2 carats (commercial: 0.25-1 carat; stones over 2 carats are exceptionally rare)