💎 Gem Values Ranked
Gems drop from nodes, monster loot, and Geodes. Here's what they're worth and how they perform in Crystalariums:
| Gem | Sell Price | Crystal Time | Gold/Day | + Gemologist | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prismatic Shard | 2,000g | Can't replicate | — | 2,600g | Keep first for Galaxy Sword! |
| Diamond | 750g | 5 days | 150g/day | 195g/day | Best passive income gem |
| Ruby | 250g | 2 days | 125g/day | 162g/day | Trade for Spicy Eel |
| Jade | 200g | 1.5 days | 133g/day | 173g/day | Trade for Staircases (Sunday) |
| Emerald | 250g | 2 days | 125g/day | 162g/day | — |
| Aquamarine | 180g | 1.5 days | 120g/day | 156g/day | — |
| Amethyst | 100g | 1.5 days | 67g/day | 87g/day | Abigail loves it |
| Topaz | 80g | 1 day | 80g/day | 104g/day | — |
🔮 Crystalarium Strategy
The Crystalarium replicates any gem infinitely (except Prismatic Shard). It costs 99 Stone, 5 Gold Bars, 2 Iridium Bars, and 1 Battery Pack.
For Maximum Gold
Diamond
750g every 5 days = 150g/day passive income
For Skull Cavern
Jade
Trade 1:1 for Staircases at Desert Trader (Sundays)
For Buff Food
Ruby
Trade 1:1 for Spicy Eel (+1 Luck, +1 Speed)
Gold/Day = Gem Price ÷ Replicate Days🪨 Geode Analysis
Clint opens Geodes for 25g each. Is it worth it?
| Geode Type | Found | Avg Value | Profit (- 25g fee) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Geode | Mines 1-39 | ~50g | ~25g | Low value minerals |
| Frozen Geode | Mines 40-79 | ~60g | ~35g | Frozen Tear, gems |
| Magma Geode | Mines 80-120 | ~80g | ~55g | Fire Quartz, gems |
| Omni Geode | Various, Skull Cavern | ~120g | ~95g | Prismatic chance! |
📋 Verdict
Open Geodes for Museum donations and artifact hunting.For pure profit, they're mediocre. Omni Geodes are the only ones worth opening after completing the Museum collection.
🔩 Ore vs Bar Values
Should you sell ore or smelt it into bars? Always smelt!
| Material | Ore Value | Bar Value | Ore Needed | Smelting Profit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Copper | 5g | 60g | 5 ore + 1 coal | +35g |
| Iron | 10g | 120g | 5 ore + 1 coal | +70g |
| Gold | 25g | 250g | 5 ore + 1 coal | +125g |
| Iridium | 100g | 1,000g | 5 ore + 1 coal | +500g |
💡 Pro Tip
Always smelt ore into bars before selling. The value doubles or more. Coal costs ~150g from Clint, but you get plenty from mining. With Blacksmith profession (+50% bar value), Iridium Bars sell for 1,500g each!
💀 Skull Cavern Profit Runs
Deep Skull Cavern runs (floor 100+) are the most profitable mining activity:
🎯 Expected Returns (Floor 100+ run)
Iridium Ore
Prismatic Shards
Gold Value
🎒 Optimal Skull Cavern Setup
🌶️ Food
Spicy Eel (+1 Speed, +1 Luck) or Lucky Lunch
💣 Bombs
Mega Bombs from Dwarf, or craft 100+
🪜 Staircases
20-30 for skipping bad floors
📺 Luck Day
Check Fortune Teller—go on "spirits are happy"
⏰ Timing
Warp to Desert at 6:00 AM (Desert Warp Totem or Obelisk)
⭐ Gemologist Profession
At Mining Level 10, Gemologist increases gem sell prices by 30%. This affects all gems including those from Crystalariums.
💎 Gemologist (+30% gems)
- • Diamond: 750g → 975g (195g/day)
- • Ruby: 250g → 325g (162g/day)
- • Jade: 200g → 260g (173g/day)
⚒️ Blacksmith (+50% bars)
- • Copper Bar: 60g → 90g
- • Iron Bar: 120g → 180g
- • Iridium Bar: 1,000g → 1,500g
✅ What to Keep vs Sell
🔧 Keep These
- ✓First Prismatic Shard — Galaxy Sword
- ✓Quartz — Refined Quartz for sprinklers
- ✓Fire Quartz — Refined Quartz, Slime Egg-Press
- ✓Earth Crystal — Mayonnaise Machine, Garden Pot
- ✓Frozen Tear — Warrior Ring, Speed-Gro
- ✓Battery Pack — Iridium Sprinkler, Crystalarium
- ✓Jade & Ruby — Trades at Desert Trader
💰 Sell These
- $Diamond — 750g, or put in Crystalarium
- $Extra Prismatic Shards — 2,000g each
- $Iridium Bars — 1,000g (after upgrades)
- $Emerald, Aquamarine, Topaz — No special uses
- $Most minerals — Low value, sell after Museum
📚 Related Guides
Last updated: May 2026 - Verified for Stardew Valley 1.6.15