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Gems of AeriadorAlthough Men and Dwarves appreciate the beauty flashing in the facets of rubies, diamonds, and emeralds, they use gemstones more frequently as adornment for an item of power, rather than as the sole focus of the Essence. Only the Jewel-smiths of the Eldar forged with crystalline materials regularly. A few of their favored gemstones are detailed below. Adamant (sub: diamond) Adamant, a synthetic gemstone made only among the High Jewel Smiths of Celwynvian, adamant is as hard as any known substance,&nbsp; yet can be colored in the making like laen (see below) and faceted like&nbsp; the former. Adamant resembles diamond, being clear and brilliant, but&nbsp; is even brighter than that stone. Adamant is most often used in jewelry, magical items, and even as a substitute for diamond as a magical spell component.&nbsp; Diamond Although this gem is prized in many cultures, Dwarves, Men, and elves all agree that diamond is the rarest and most beautiful of gemstones in Aeriador. The elves smiths of Celwynvian and the Isle of Cel covet the very scarce colored varieties,&nbsp; especially yellows, blues, and pale violets. Emerald Called "Elfstones" by many mortals, they are indeed favored by the Firstborn. Their bright green color is often found in jewelry. Laen ("Long Thread") The name refers to the incredibly long crystal lattice structure, lending to the strength of the material. Laen has an unusual property&nbsp; in which it gains strength and rigidity with heat. Only by chilling to&nbsp; extreme low temperatures can it be softened, and then it is sculpted&nbsp; and molded to the desired form. Natural laen is black or smoky, but it can&nbsp; be cleared with treatments and tinted any number of transparent colors. Opal The cloudy, rainbow-hued opal has found favor with many Elves, often used in rings or weapon pommels. The rarer red-blue- violet Fire Opal is also highly prized. Still less common is the brilliant Black Opal — few have the color play of their brethren, but those that do display a unique dark beauty. Ruby Another favorite stone, the Eldarin smiths prefer the richest dark reds. Men generally prefer the brighter shades, though servants of Azazael have a bent for the dark blood reds or even slightly cloudy varieties.Sapphire The pure blue form is the most prized by the Elves, though the yellow variety is also appreciated. Some smiths also like the very rare Black Sapphire, blue-black and ominous in hue. Violet Garnet The only garnet which the Elven Smiths take seriously, it is a clear pale violet in hue, very delicate and beautiful in appearance. Again, the Noldor are fussier than most jewelers — Dwarves enjoy the common dark red varieties, and Men will employ most any variety in some setting, though they also prefer the violet shades. The brown-green varieties are favored in the south. Garnets are often found in large clumps of interlocking crystals

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