Precious Gem (Skyrim)



Gems are items found in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. They are a key component for creating Jewelry.

Chances of finding gems are increased with the Prowler's Profit active effect which is gained by completing No Stone Unturned.

General locations

 * Giants and dragons can sometimes drop precious gems.

Fixed locations

 * Gems may be found while mining. There is roughly a 10% chance of reciveing a gemstone per piece of extracted ore.
 * There is a Flawless Sapphire and a Flawless Amethyst in the Temple of Dibella in Markarth. Inside the Inner Sanctum on a shelf.
 * Amaund Motierre carries a Sapphire, an Emerald, and a Diamond.
 * There is a Flawless diamond, three flawless garnets and a lockbox on a boat directly north of Reachwater Rock just southwest of Sky Haven Temple. Follow the map to the mine and follow the stream across from the cave downstream a bit and it will be on the right.
 * The miscellaneous quest received at Merryfair Farm rewards randomly generated gemstones.
 * A Flawless Ruby can be found in the Emperor's bedchambers on board The Katariah.
 * A Ruby or Flawless Ruby can also be found in the throne room in South Shriekwind Bastion.
 * In Mercer Frey's house, there's a bowl filled with one of each type of gem. Each gem has approximately a 50% chance to be flawless.
 * In Anuriel's room in Mistveil Keep, there is a sapphire, ruby, and a lesser value gem. Grabbing these gems is considered a crime.
 * Sapphire in Riften, usually found near The Bee and Barb, carries two sapphires that can be pickpocketed.
 * A Flawless Diamond can be found in Kagrenzel sitting atop the second archway from the exit to Stony Creek Cave. Jump or use Whirlwind Sprint to access it.
 * A Flawless Diamond can be found in Skuldafn Temple in the room right before the end, along with a Flawless Amethyst and a Flawless Emerald underneath a linen wrap in a bowl on the bottom bookshelf.
 * A Flawless Diamond along with a Flawless Emerald and a Flawless Garnet can be all found in a pot in Skuldafn before the gate leading outside.
 * 2 Flawless Sapphires can always be found in the Ruins of Bthalft, at the end of the Lost to the Ages quest. They are in the chest, near the Aetherium Forge.

Merchants
Merchants throughout Skyrim also buy and sell gems; many of the merchants that buy and sell jewelry will also buy and sell gems. General goods merchants can also buy gems.
 * Fralia Gray-Mane - Whiterun
 * Madesi - Riften
 * Niranye - Windhelm
 * Kerah - Markarth
 * Khajiit Caravan traders usually have several precious gems to sell.

Uses

 * Precious Gems can be combined with Silver Ingots and Gold Ingots to produce Jewelry.
 * Regular gems are used for Rings, but Necklaces require 1 or 2 Flawless Gems of the corresponding type.
 * Talen-Jei employs the Dragonborn with locating three Flawless Amethysts for a wedding band.
 * Madesi asks the Dragonborn to find two Flawless Sapphire for a special amulet he is crafting along with a Mammoth Tusk and a single Gold Ore.
 * Kesh from the Shrine to Peryite asks for a Flawless Ruby to commune with Peryite as well as single Deathbell, Vampire Dust and a Silver Ingot.

Trivia

 * Precious Gemstones should not be confused with Soul Gems, which serve an entirely different purpose.
 * Flawless gemstones appear slightly different from normal gemstones. Gemstones have a somewhat irregular surface, while flawless gemstones are symetrical.
 * Flawless Diamonds have the highest value per weight unit in the entire game, thereby offering the most efficient way to rack up especially since they're fairly easy to come by with the Prowler's Profit ability. There is a value of 10,000  for 1 unit of Flawless Diamonds. Since The Elder Scrolls V: Dragonborn, this is not true, as the Exquisite Sapphire worth 5000 while weighing 0.2 pounds.