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Gem
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'''Gems''' return in [[Diablo III]], and they're set to be a much larger part of the game. The item type works just as it did in Diablo 2; Gems are still small objects that have no function on their own, which add various bonuses when placed in item sockets. The bonuses they grant have changed though, and there are many more quality levels of gems (14 in D3, vs. 5 in D2).
They can still be upgraded in a 3<1 ratio, though that process requires the [[Jeweler]], rather than the {{iw|Horadric_Cube Horadric Cube}}, and it's widely suspected that gems will be used in more than items, with a use in the [[Talisman]] perhaps making them even more valuable.
There are four types of gems in Diablo III: [[Amethysts]], [[Emeralds]], [[Rubies]] and [[Topazes]]. [[Skull Gems]], [[Diamonds]] and [[Sapphires]] do not return from {{iw|Gems Diablo II's seven types of gems}}.
Gems in Diablo 3 have evolved during the game's development. Early on, they were similar to World of Warcraft gems, with a "cut" listed in their properties. For instance, a "chipped star topaz" was seen in an early gameplay movie.
This feature was removed over time, and as of late 2010 gems are much closer to how they were in Diablo 2; no "cut" is listed, and they simply have quality levels; 14 of them (compared to 5 in Diablo 2). Gems grant varying bonuses when socketed into items of all types, and they might have other functions, such as use in [[crafting]] [[recipes]].
==Gem Types==
A graphic was shown at the [[Crafting Sanctuary]] panel at Blizzcon 2010 that displayed six types of gems: [[Ruby|Rubies]], [[Sapphire]]s, [[Emerald]]s, [[Topaz]]es, [[Amethyst]]s and [[Diamond]]s. [[Skull]] gems were not shown, . Diamonds and they Sapphires have not been seen in the game. Skulls, or other types of gems, may be in the game and not revealed yet, or might be added in expansion packsremoved.
==Gem Levels==
With the GamesCom 2011 announcements came a new visual for Gem level progression, which shows different graphics for each individual gem. It is currently unknown whether or not the ranks of the gems have kept the same names or not.
[[Image:Gemprogression.jpg|center|thumb|400px|Gem progression, GamesCom 2011.]]
==Upgrading Gems==
Gems upgrade in D3 Diablo 3 just as the did in D2. Three of one level will combine into one of the next level. <ref>[http://diablo.incgamers.com/blog/comments/jay-wilson-interview-tweakers.net/ Interview @ Tweakers.Net - Gamescom 2010]</ref>
This is accomplished by taking the gems to the [[Jeweler]]and paying a fee, rather than simply doing it yourself with a Horadric Cube, but the function is the same.
One improvement over Diablo 2 is that gems of like type/level will stack up to 10 high<ref name="blue 24 august 2010" /> in a single inventory space. Players will thus not sacrifice so much space for gem storage.
[[File:Gems-1-14-label.jpg|frame|The 14 levels of [[Sapphire]]s.]]
The math maths isn't quite as daunting if you assume you'll be upgrading level 5 gems; it '''''only''''' requires 19,683 level 5 gems to make one level 14 gem. Happily, Jay Wilson has said that they're open to tweaking the formulae if it's taking too long; instead of 3>1 they might turn it down to 2>1 at higher levels, as was done with higher level Runes in Diablo II. It would only require 512 L5 gems to upgrade to a L14, if the requirement was 2>1 all the way up.
In August 2010 [[Bashiok]] spoke on the design theory behind high level gems taking so long to create.<ref name="blue 24 august 2010" />
==Creating and Spending Gems==
::The Jeweler crafts gems, amulets, and rings. The jeweler can also remove gems from socketed items and can combine gems to improve their quality.
That does not rule out gems use in other things. Bashiok alluded to other gem purposes as well, in a forum post in May 2011August 2010.<ref name="blue 24 august 2010">[http://diablo.incgamers.com/blog/comments/blue-info-on-level-14-gems/ Blizzard Post - 24 August 2010]</ref>
<blue>They have a good chance of being used in other ways aside from simply being socketed, something that would siphon them out of the economy. Maybe crafting. We like them remaining as something you have to visit the Jeweler artisan to combine. We don’t want it to be annoying or take a lot of time though. We also don’t anticipate someone visiting one with 19,000 gems looking to upgrade all the way to level 14.</blue>
One key fact to consider is that in Diablo III, gems (and other socketables) can be removed from sockets, by the [[Jeweler]], <u>without losing the gem or the item</u>. (Though this may grow quite expensive <ref name="blue 25 august 2010">[http://diablo.incgamers.com/blog/comments/more-blue-info-on-crafting-gems/ Blizzard Post - 25 August 2010]</ref> with higher level gems.) This was not the case in Diablo II, where runes, gems, and jewels were in an item forever, or were destroyed by the unsocket recipe. This change fundamentally alters the upgrading project, since instead of gems sitting useless in your stash until they are all the way to the top level (as they did in Diablo 2), characters in Diablo III will be using their highest level gems all the time, and gaining considerable benefits from the gem.
If a character's goal is to gain a huge bonus from a L14 Level 14 gem in their shield, they'll be using that type of gem at L9, L10, L11, and so on, as they slowly upgrade it towards L14. This should make the upgrading process seem a little less lengthy, especially as it will take weeks or months for each additional level of improvement with a high level gem.
[[File:Gem-emerald-l3.jpg|frame|L3 Emerald bonuses.]]
Little is yet known of the bonuses gems will provide. It's widely-assumed that the higher level gems will grant very high bonuses, and that the bonuses won't simply increase at say, +3 per level. That doesn't seem like enough of an improvement to make the months and months of collecting and upgrading required to create a L14 gem worth it.
