Don Paul owner of Down Paul Jewelers looks through jewelers loupe at chocolate diamond ring in Butler on Friday January 24, 2014. At left, is a chocolate diamond ring in Butler on Friday January 24, 2014

Think red for Valentine's Day — as in red gemstones.

If you are shopping for a red gemstone for Valentine's Day, there are several intriguing choices available. Colored stone experts at the Gemological Institute of America, provide information on four of the most popular red gemstone choices:

Ruby: Mined in exotic locales around the world — including Myanmar, Madagascar, East Africa, and Sri Lanka — the ruby is the undisputed king of red gems. Ruby offers a distinctive range of red hues that vary from light (pinkish) to dark, velvety reds. And, ruby is very hard — second only to diamond in hardness (resistance to scratching).

Keep in mind that vivid rubies are considered the highest quality, but they are rare and will thus be more expensive.

Spinel: The Gem Institute's stone experts point out that quite a few famous “rubies” in royal jewels throughout the world are actually spinels — some even reside in the British Crown Jewels. Spinel has been mistaken for ruby for centuries.

Spinel is a durable gem that is affordable but also uncommon. It's mined in Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Tajikistan (part of the former Soviet Union) and Vietnam.

Garnet: Although garnets appear in many colors, red is the most admired. They are also plentiful and affordable. Garnet is very durable, so it's ideal for daily wear.

The finest specimens have a glowing red color. Garnets are mined in East Africa, India and Sri Lanka.

Tourmaline: This colorful gemstone occurs in more colors and color combinations than any other gemstone variety, according to the Gem Institute. In the tourmaline family, a red gemstone is referred to as a rubellite. Widely available, rubellites also come in larger sizes, making them a favorite choice for contemporary jewelry. Important sources of rubellite are Brazil and Nigeria. Source: GIA.EDU