Gem properties

Gem Sockets
There are various gem sockets available on gear that allows a degree of personalisation of stats and also the ability to gain bonus stats through socket bonuses where the gem color and gem socket color match.

This however does not always provide the best stats available dependng on what the bonus is in relation to what role or situation the player finds themselves in, an example of this would be stacking resilience and stamina in red sockets for a tank in PvP.

Colored sockets
There are three colored socket types: Deathknight, Rogue, and Shaman. Any gem can be placed into any socket, and you will receive the bonus for that gem.

If all the gems match all the sockets they have been placed in on an item an additional socket bonus will be awarded.

Uncolored sockets
Uncolored sockets are generally sockets that have been added to an item by blacksmithing skills (or blacksmithed items). Any gem (except meta gems) may be placed in them.

The exception to this is relics either made by Inscription,looted from dungeon inhabitents or purchased with Justice Points or Valor Points

Uncolored sockets and the gems that have been added to items via blacksmithing do not count towards any socket bonus an item may have.

Sockets in Relics do count as the sockets are an integral part of the item and are usually the only socket on the item in question.

In both of these situations the gems color will count towards any requirements of a meta gem.

Meta sockets
Meta sockets currently appear only in particular varieties of head items. Meta sockets only accept meta gems, and meta gems may only be placed in meta sockets.

Meta gem's differ from colored gems as they also have a requirement for them to activate,

Meta gems require a certain combination of other color gems currently socketed in your equipped gear for both the meta gem and the socket bonus on the gear to be activated

(Note: Meta sockets are only found on high-end head gear.)

Gem stats
A stat is associated with a primary color (#DC143C, #ffff44, #4444ff). For example, strength is a #DC143C stat. That means having a pure strength gem in a #ffff44 or #4444ff slot is possible but the gem color bonus requirement will not be met.

However, gems come in both primary and secondary colors. As seen on the Color Wheel below, if you mix red and yellow, you get druid. An orange gem will provide one #DC143C stat and one rogue stat, each in approximately one-half the amount that a primary-colored gem of the same level would.

It is most important to note that, for the purposes of both socket bonuses and meta-gem requirements, a secondary-colored gem is considered to be a gem of BOTH of its primary colors. Thus, an orange gem will be considered to be both a #DC143C gem AND a rogue gem at the same time. Therfore if a gem requires more red than yellow gems equipping an orange gem will not affect the balance

This means that if you really want strength, and your item only contains a rogue socket, then the only way to get both strength and the socket bonus is with an druid gem, which will reduce the #DC143C stat and suppliment it with a rogue stat like critical strike rating or resilience.

This table shows all existing stat mixes and their name prefixes.