Gem

A gem is generally an item that can be used as an ingredient primarily for Jewelcrafting recipes or placed into a socket of another item to give that item additional bonuses, powers and/or procs. Jewelcrafters can turn raw gems into socket gems or various jewelry items like rings and necklaces. The term "gem" can be used for raw or cut stones, but is often only used to describe cut gems. A gem cannot be removed once it is placed into a socket, however it can be overwritten by another, destroying it in the process.

Gem Sockets

There are various gem sockets available on gear that allows a degree of personalisation of stats and also the ability to gain bonus stats through socket bonuses where the gem color and gem socket color match.

This however does not always provide the best stats available dependng on what the bonus is in relation to what role or situation the player finds themselves in, an example of this would be stacking resilience and stamina in red sockets for a tank in PvP.

Colored sockets

There are three colored socket types: red, yellow, and blue. Any gem can be placed into any socket, and you will receive the bonus for that gem.

If all the gems match all the sockets they have been placed in on an item an additional socket bonus will be awarded.

Uncolored sockets

Uncolored sockets are generally sockets that have been added to an item by blacksmithing skills (or blacksmithed items). Any gem (except meta gems) may be placed in them.

The exception to this is relics either made by Inscription,looted from dungeon inhabitents or purchased with [Justice Points] or [Valor Points]

Uncolored sockets and the gems that have been added to items via blacksmithing do not count towards any socket bonus an item may have.

Sockets in Relics do count as the sockets are an integral part of the item and are usually the only socket on the item in question.

In both of these situations the gems color will count towards any requirements of a meta gem.

Meta sockets

Meta sockets currently appear only in particular varieties of head items. Meta sockets only accept meta gems, and meta gems may only be placed in meta sockets.

Meta gem's differ from colored gems as they also have a requirement for them to activate,

Meta gems require a certain combination of other color gems currently socketed in your equipped gear for both the meta gem and the socket bonus on the gear to be activated

(Note: Meta sockets are only found on high-end head gear.)

Gem stats

A stat is associated with a primary color (red, yellow, blue). For example, strength is a red stat. That means having a pure strength gem in a yellow or blue slot is possible but the gem color bonus requirement will not be met.

However, gems come in both primary and secondary colors. As seen on the Color Wheel below, if you mix red and yellow, you get orange. An orange gem will provide one red stat and one yellow stat, each in approximately one-half the amount that a primary-colored gem of the same level would.

It is most important to note that, for the purposes of both socket bonuses and meta-gem requirements, a secondary-colored gem is considered to be a gem of BOTH of its primary colors. Thus, an orange gem will be considered to be both a red gem AND a yellow gem at the same time.
Therfore if a gem requires more red than yellow gems equipping an orange gem will not affect the balance

This means that if you really want strength, and your item only contains a yellow socket, then the only way to get both strength and the socket bonus is with an orange gem, which will reduce the strength stat and suppliment it with a yellow stat like critical strike rating or resilience.

Color Wheel

	Red
Purple		Orange
Blue		Yellow
	Green

This table shows all existing stat mixes and their name prefixes.

Red

Yellow

Blue

Expertise

Agility

Intellect

Strength

Parry

Critical

Haste

Mastery

Dodge

Resilience

Hit

PvP Pwr.

Spirit

Stamina

Red

Expertise

Precise

Keen

Resolute

Accurate

Guardian's

Agility

Delicate

Deadly

Deft

Adept

Polished

Lucent

Glinting

Shifting

Intellect

Brilliant

Potent

Reckless

Artful

Willful

Veiled

Purified

Timeless

Strength

Bold

Inscribed

Fierce

Skillful

Resplendent

Etched

Sovereign

Parry

Flashing

Fine

Retaliating

Defender's

Yellow

Critical

Deadly

Potent

Inscribed

Smooth

Piercing

Radiant

Jagged

Haste

Deft

Reckless

Fierce

Quick

Lightning

Shattered

Forceful

Mastery

Keen

Adept

Artful

Skillful

Fine

Fractured

Sensei's

Infused

Zen

Puissant

Dodge

Resolute

Polished

Subtle

Nimble

Regal

Resilience

Lucent

Willful

Resplendent

Mystic

Vivid

Steady

Blue

Hit

Accurate

Glinting

Veiled

Etched

Retaliating

Piercing

Lightning

Sensei's

Nimble

Rigid

PvP Pwr.

Radiant

Shattered

Infused

Vivid

Stormy

Spirit

Purified

Zen

Sparkling

Stamina

Guardian's

Shifting

Timeless

Sovereign

Defender's

Jagged

Forceful

Puissant

Regal

Steady

Solid

Outland gems

These pages concern the gems specific to the Burning Crusade era.

Complete list:

• Outland gems

Specific articles:

• Outland uncommon gems
• Outland rare gems
• Outland epic gems

Northrend gems

These pages concern the gems new to Wrath of the Lich King.

• Northrend gems by color
• Northrend gems by quality
• Northrend gems reference table

Notes

• Multi-colored gems will match either of their colors when socketed. For example, an orange gem can be used to activate an item bonus with a red or yellow socket.
• Multi-colored gems will count toward both of their colors when activating a meta gem. For example, a meta gem that requires 5 red and 5 yellow gems can be activated with 5 orange gems.
• You can replace a gem already socketed in an item with another one, destroying only the gems you are replacing.
• A gem does not have to match its socket color to count toward a meta gem's bonus.

 

See also: Guide to finding gems on the auction house

See also

• List of raw minerals.

External links

Wowhead 

Allakhazam 

Thottbot 

WoW Gem Looking for that socketable gem? Look no further!