Gems

Gems

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Statistics

Type	Gem
Rarity

Gems are valuable crafting materials found underground. There are currently 7 Gem types. Gems can also be placed on any side of a block after being mined. They are found in any Underground layer, except for the Underworld.

With the exception of Amber (which requires an Extractinator instead), Gems are found in the following forms, all of which drop Gem items when mined:

• Embedded within Stone blocks.
• In placed form on blocks underground, including sometimes in Underground Cabins, or rarely in the Dungeon.
• As gem stashes, which are breakable background objects (similar to Coin Stashes), each resembling a rock with gems protruding.

Gems can also be found in higher concentrations in rare Gemstone Caves, which can contain multiple Gem types lining and embedded within their stone blocks.

Types

In descending order of rarity and value (rarest at the top):

Gem	Value	In Stone	Stash	Placed
Amber Internal Item ID: 999	30	n/a	n/a
Diamond Internal Item ID: 182	30
Ruby Internal Item ID: 178	22  50
Emerald Internal Item ID: 179	15
Sapphire Internal Item ID: 177	11  25
Topaz Internal Item ID: 180	7  50
Amethyst Internal Item ID: 181	3  75

Uses

Gems can be sold to NPCs as a good pre-Hardmode source of coins. Additionally:

All gems:

• can craft Gemspark Blocks of a corresponding color.
• can be combined with torches to create colored torches.
• can be crafted into gem staffs (Pre-Hardmode magic weapons).
• can be crafted into Large Gems for the PvP game Capture the Gem.
• can be crafted into Gem Locks, containers or altars for Large Gems.

All gems except Amber:

• may be crafted into a colored Hook at an Anvil.
• can craft a Phaseblade of matching color. Every color has identical attributes.
• can be imbued into Robes.

All gems except Amber or Diamond:

• can craft Stained Glass.

Other recipes:

• Topaz can be used to craft the Sandgun.
• Rubies can be used for the crafting of the Gold Crown and Platinum Crown.
• Amber can be used to craft Crate Potions.

Gemstone cave

A Gemstone Cave, where higher concentrations of Gems can be found. Most of these Gems are in placed form, while a few are embedded in Stone.

Two Gemstone Caves, with walls reflecting the Gems found in each

A Gemstone cave is a rare, irregularly shaped room often found in the Cavern layer. They contain a high concentration of placed gems on multiple stone surfaces, as well as a few gems embedded in stone. Most gemstone caves contain one or two types of gemstone, but can rarely contain three or more types. The type of gem found in such caves is easily identifiable by the Gem Wall the cave utilizes, but this wall cannot be collected to obtain any items.

Notes

• Caves with Dirt background walls are considered to be within the Surface layer and will not contain Gems.
• Gem rarity is not affected by depth; you will find just as many Gems just below the Surface as you would near the Underworld.
• Gems are less common in the Underground Jungle. Regular non-Jungle underground biomes contain much greater quantities.
• Making Stained Glass is the most profitable way to sell gems. (Except on  Mobile where it's less valuable.)

Gallery

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  Diamond embedded in Stone

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  Ruby embedded in Stone

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  Emerald embedded in Stone

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  Sapphire embedded in Stone

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  Topaz embedded in Stone

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  Amethyst embedded in Stone

History

 Desktop version

• Desktop 1.3.1:
  • Inventory, placed, rock and stone sprites updated.
  • Large Amber can now be crafted.
  • Gem Locks can now be crafted.

• Desktop 1.3.0.1: Amber Staff can now be crafted.

• Desktop 1.2.3: Can now be crafted into Gemspark Blocks.

• Desktop 1.2:
  • Amber added (and the amber Orange Torch).
  • Sprites changed.
  • Can now be found as crystals on cave walls and in Gemstone caves.
  • The original 6 gems can now be crafted into Large Gems, Gem Grappling hooks, and early-game magic robes and Gem Staffs.
  • Sapphire, Ruby, Emerald, Topaz, and Amethyst can be crafted into Stained Glass.
  • Stack limit increased from 99 to 999.
  • Can now be placed.

• Desktop 1.1: Can now be used to craft colored torches.

• Desktop-Release: Introduced Sapphire, Ruby, Emerald, Topaz, Amethyst, and Diamond.
  • Can be crafted into colorful Phaseblades.