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Gemstones are all about color, and the quality of a gemstone is judged by its hue, its tone, and its saturation. Color is the most important defining factor of a gemstone and the value of any gemstone will be determined in large part by its color. The most highly prized gemstones have one primary “pure” hue such as red (ruby), blue (blue sapphire), and green (emerald). The tone of the gemstone indicates the depth of its color, which can range from black (the deepest) to almost colorless (the shallowest). Gemstones with a tone between “medium light” to “dark” are the most popular. The saturation of a gemstone is the measure of its color intensity, with the specimens of “strong” and “vivid” saturation being the most valuable.