A long-time series staple, gems return in Diablo 4; enchanted little accidents of heat and pressure that, for some reason, when inserted into socketed gear, increases various stat parameters. This page will discuss how to find gems, what types of gems you can find, and what each type of gems does.
(1 of 2) After a few levels, gems will start to drop from the usual sources.
After a few levels, gems will start to drop from the usual sources. (left), Different types of gems bestow various stat boosts depending on their grade and the item they’re socketed into. (right)
What Are Gems in Diablo 4?¶
There are several ways to upgrade your gear in Diablo 4, with gems being perhaps the cheapest way to add a limited selection of mods to existing gear. After gaining a few levels, gems will be added to the rotation of your normal loot drops, being obtainable in largely the same ways as any other loot - enemies can drop them, event chests yield them regularly, and they even have a chance to uncover them when smashing ore deposits scattered throughout the world. In short, you can expect to score a slow but steady trickle of gems just by doing what you’d normally do in Diablo 4 - kill demons and loot things.
Long coveted for being shiny rocks (we’re kind of a superficial species), in Diablo gems have had a more practical application; when installed in socketed gear, gems will bestow various stat bonuses to said gear, and hence, the person wearing it. These stat bonuses are determined by the type of gem (diamonds and sapphires give different stat boosts, for example), the grade of the gem, and the type of gear it’s socketed into (weapons, armor, and jewelry gain different stat boosts from the same gem type). That said, in a game full of RNG, the stat boosts given by any particular gem are static - one chipped diamond is as potent as any other chipped diamond, so you don’t have to fuss over whether you got a GOOD gem when one drops. Thank goodness for small mercies.
Below you’ll find a list of all the gem types in Diablo 4 and what stats they boost:
| Gem | Weapon Effect | Armor Effect | Jewelry Effect |
|---|---|---|---|
 Amethyst |
Damage Over Time | Damage Taken Over Time Reduction | Shadow Resistance |
 Diamond |
Ultimate Skill Damage | Barrier Generation | Resistance to All Elements |
 Emerald |
Critical Strike Damage to Vulnerable Enemies | Thorns | Poison Resistance |
 Ruby |
Overpower Damage | Maximum LIfe | Fire Resistance |
 Sapphire |
Critical Strike Damage to Crowd Controlled Enemies | Damage Reduction While Fortified | Cold Resistance |
 Skull |
Life On Kill | Healing Received | Armor |
 Topaz |
Basic Skill Damage | Damage Reduction while Control Impaired | Lightning Resistance |
:::dyk:
Why are skulls gems back? Who knows, but it’s been grandfathered after appearing in Diablo 2, even though they were absent in Diablo 3.
:::
When installed in socketed gear, gems will provide various stat boosts depending on the type of gem, the grade of the gem, and the type of gear it’s socketed into. Here a pair of Chipped Rubies give +5% Maximum Life each.
How to Socket Gems in Diablo 4¶
Finding gems is all well and good, but to actually use them you’ll need socketed gear. Randomness returns in this aspect of the endeavor, as sockets have a chance to spawn on gear in Diablo 4. If fortune isn’t on your side and an otherwise good bit of gear rolls up without sockets, you can add them via the services of a Jeweler, but this consumes rare 
Scattered Prism items, so it’s probably best left for the most potent end-game gear.
Assuming you have gear with sockets and gems you want to install, all you have to do is select the desired gem in your inventory screen and then pick the piece of gear you want to put it in. Socketing is easy enough, but unsocketing can only be done via the Jeweler, and will cost you some gold. Socketed gems will survive the extraction process, however, so it’s not the worst idea to keep your gear socketed and swap out gems as you find newer, better gear, assuming you can afford it.
Gems can also be upgraded via the Jeweler. Several lower grade gems of the same type (all diamonds, all emeralds, all sapphires, etc.) will be combined into one gem of the same type, albeit at a higher grade. Higher grade gems bestow more potent stat boosts, but otherwise function identically to their lower-tier counterparts. Combining gems costs gold.
For more information, check out the How to Craft and Unsocket Gems in Diablo 4 - Jeweler page.
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