The gem is often offered by less educated gem sellers as blue sapphire because of its very similar appearance. Almandine garnet in the place of ruby. This has a deep pigeon blood red color, but is a thousandth the cost of natural ruby of the same color and clarity. White Topaz is the Venus substitute for the diamond. This is the hardest clear material offered in beads of over two carats I could find, and it is much harder than Quartz.
Peridot is the substitute for green emerald .
Most emerald is oil treated to hide the multi-fractured nature of this lower grade bead material. Peridot is a great crystal but more expensive than the other beads as a substitute. However it is much better than eye clean . All the gems are eye clean except some of the hessonites. Citrine is the substitute for the Yellow sapphire gem, Silver quartz catseye replaces the chrsoberyl catseye.