Many Indian gems are produced using low-cost labor and less expensive materials, which allow them to price their items at more affordable rates. It also means that these gems do not meet all of today's standards for cut, color, and clarity but can still be beautiful pieces with unique histories behind them.

The Karur-Kangayam and Hole-Narsipur belts, in the southern Indian states of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, respectively, are famous throughout the subcontinent for their gemstones, including sapphire, moonstone, iolite, aquamarine, garnet, sunstone and corundum. The city of Karur itself is well known for rubies.

The Star of India is a 563.35-carat (112.67 g) star sapphire, one of the largest such gems in the world.

Ruby is the July birthstone – and it's one of the most coveted of gems. Called the “King of Gems” since it gained status in Ancient India, today it can command the highest per-carat price of any colored stone.