1. Home
  2. Education
  3. Chemistry

Gemstone List

Precious and Semiprecious Gemstones

By Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D., About.com

1.41-carat faceted oval ruby.

Rubies are the red gemstone form of corundum.

Brian Kell
This list of gemstones includes the mineral names (in parentheses) of the gemstones as well as links to photos of the gems.

Agate (Chalcedony)
   red-banded agate that is also known as sard or sardonyx

Alexandrite (Chrysoberyl)
   faceted alexandrite displaying the color change effect

Amber (Amber)
   amber specimen

Amethyst (Quartz)
   amethyst crystals
   rough specimen
   amethyst geode

Ametrine (Quartz)
   faceted ametrine

Apatite (Apatite)

Aquamarine (Beryl)
   faceted aquamarine

Aventurine (Chalcedony)

Azurite
   azurite crystals
   azurite geode

Benitoite (Benitoite)

Beryl (Beryl)
   electron micrograph of hexagonal beryl crystal

Bloodstone (Chalcedony)
   polished bloodstone nugget

Carnelian (Chalcedony)
   carnelian specimen

Chalcedony

Chrome Diopside (Diopside)

Chrysoberyl (Chrysoberyl)
   faceted chrysoberyl

Chrysoprase (Chalcedony)

Chrysocolla

Citrine (Quartz)
   faceted citrine

Diamond (Diamond)
   rough octohedral diamond crystal
   cut diamonds

Emerald (Beryl)
   858-carat Galacha Emerald

Fluorite

Garnet (Almandine, Andratite, Grossularite, Pyrope, Spessartine, Uvarovite)
   garnet crystals with quartz

Heliodore (Beryl)

Heliotrope (Chalcedony)
   polished heliotrope

Hematite

Hessonite (Grossularite)

Hiddenite (Spodumene)
   hiddenite from Hiddenite, NC

Iolite (Cordierite)
   faceted iolite

Jade (Jadeite or Nephrite)

Jasper (Chalcedony)

Kunzite (Spodumene)

Kyanite
   kyanite crystals

Labradorite

Lapis Lazuli (Lazurite)

Malachite (Malachite)
   polished malachite nugget

Moonstone (Albite, Microcline Feldspar, Orthoclase, Plagioclase)

Morganite (Beryl)

Onyx (Chalcedony)

Opal (Opal)
   rough opal from Nevada

Pearl
   black pearl and the mollusk shell

Peridot (Olivine)
   rough peridot

Quartz (Quartz)
   quartz crystals

Rhodochrosite (Rhodochrosite)

Rhodolite (Almandine-Pyrope Garnet)

Rock Crystal (Quartz)
   quartz crystals

Rose Quartz (Quartz)
   rough rose quartz

Ruby (Corundum)
   faceted ruby
   rough ruby

Sapphire (Corundum)
   faceted sapphire with diamonds
   star sapphire

Sard (Chalcedony)
   red-banded agate that is also known as sard or sardonyx

Sardonyx
   red-banded agate that is also known as sard or sardonyx

Sinhalite (Sinhalite)

Sodalite (Sodalite)
   rough sodalite specimen

Spinel (Spinel)
   spinel crystals

Sugilite (Sugilite)

Sunstone (Oligoclase Feldspar)

Tanzanite (Zoisite)
   faceted tanzanite

Titanite (Sphene)

Topaz (Topaz)
   topaz crystals

Tourmaline (Tourmaline)
   tri-color tourmaline crystals with quartz

Tsavorite (Grossularite)

Turquoise (Turquoise)
   polished turquoise nugget

Zircon (Zircon)

Explore Chemistry

More from About.com

  1. Home
  2. Education
  3. Chemistry

©2008 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company.

All rights reserved.