“Semi-precious” doesn’t always mean cheap. And “precious” doesn’t always mean expensive. In the gemstone world, demand often follows looks, not labels. When a semi-precious stone starts resembling a high-value precious gem, its price naturally climbs. Take Pink Tourmaline (Rubellite) for example. Years ago, it traded around $5–10 per carat. As people began loving it as a ruby-like alternative, demand rose — and today, it’s closer to $50 per carat in good quality. Now, as rubellite prices go up,