List of False or Misleading Gemstone Names


A list of False or Misleading Gemstone Names and its Actual Gemological Name. Gathered by the source "Gemstones of the World, 3rd Edition, Walter Schumann.

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False Gemstone NameActual Gemological Name
Adelaide rubyAlmandite
African emeraldGreen fluorite
Alaska diamondRock crystal (quartz)
American jadeGreen idocrase
American rubyPyrope or almandite (garnet) or rose quartz
Arizona rubyPyrope (garnet)
Arizona spinelRed or Green garnet
Arkansas diamondRock crystal (quartz)
Balas rubyRed spinel
Blue alexandriteColor-change sapphire
Blue moonstoneArtificially blue-tinted chalcedony
Bohemian chrysoliteMoldavite (natural glass)
Bohemian diamondRock crystal (quartz)
Bohemian rubyPyrope (garnet) or rose quartz
Brazilian aquamarineBluegreen topaz
Brazilian rubyRed or Pink topaz
Brazilian sapphireBlue tourmaline
Californian rubyHessonite (grossular garnet)
Candy spinelAlmandite (garnet)
Cape-chrysoliteGreen prehnite
Cape-rubyPyrope (garnet)
Ceylon diamondColorless zircon
Ceylon opalOpal-like glimmery moonstone
Copper lapisAzurite
German diamondRock crystal (quartz)
German lapisArtificially blue-tinted jasper (chalcedony)
Gold topazCitrine (quartz)
Indian jadeAventurine (quartz)
King's topazYellow sapphire
Korean jadeSerpentine
Lithia amethystKunzite (spodumene)
Lithia emeraldHiddenite (spodumene)
Madeira topazCitrine (quartz)
Marmarosch diamondRock crystal (quartz)
Matura diamondColorless fired zircon
Mexican diamondRock crystal (quartz)
Mexican jadeArtificially tinted green marble
Montana rubyRed garnet
Oriental amethystViolet sapphire
Oriental hyacinthPink sapphire
Oreintal topazYellow sapphire
Palmyra topazBrown synthetic sapphire
Salmanca topazCitrine (quartz)
Saxon chrysoliteGreenish-yellow topaz
Saxon diamondColorless topaz
Serra topazCitrine (quartz)
Siamese aquamarineBlue zircon
Siberian chrysoliteDemantoid (garnet)
Siberian rubyRed tourmaline (rubellite tourmaline)
Simili diamondGlass imitation
Slave-diamondColorless topaz
Smoky topazSmoky quartz
Spanish topazCitrine (quartz)
Strass diamondGlass imitation
Transvaal jadeGreen hydrogrossular garnet
Ural sapphireBlue tourmaline
Viennese turquoiseArtificially blue-tinted argillaceous earth

Source: Gemstones of the World, 3rd Edition, Walter Schumann.


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