Gemstone Place Names
Gemstones are precious because they are beautiful and valuable. So much so people and even places have also been given the names of jewels. For jewelry designers, gemstones are the very best materials to use for one of a kind creations.
These precious places can be found all over the world. Here are some of them (settlements rather than geographical features like rivers and lakes) and the fascinating gemstones that inspired their founders. Travel the world and travel through time with stories about jewels and jewelry.
Many gemstones come in a variety of colours, so the very approximate colour groupings relate to their most common or popular hue. The natural gemstones like pearls, shells and coral are included as are the three main precious metals,silver, gold and platinum used in jewelry making.
Do you come from or have been to these jewels? Any hamlet, town or city missing? Sign the Guestbook below and tell us about it!
The Beading Gem's Journal
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A different kind of jewelry blog : Inspirational jewelry designs by amateurs and professionals and a source of fun and useful information for the artisan, bead and gemstone enthusiast.
This lens also provides past post hubs grouped conveniently by gemstone colour.
Fetching RSS feed... please stand bySparklin' Gems
Places named Gem or Jewel
AFGHANISTAN : Herat
CANADA : Alberta
KENYA : Nyanza
MALI: Kidal (known as Guem)
PORTUGAL : Porto
SOUTH AFRICA : Limpopo
USA : Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania,Texas, West Virginia
GEMS in
Germany : Thuringen
JEWEL in
USA : Alabama
JEWELL in
USA : Arkansas, California, Georgia, Iowa, Kansas, Maryland, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, West Virginia
JEWELVILLE in
USA : Georgia
JEWELLVILLE in
CANADA : Ontario
Did you know....
Interesting stuff about jewelry and jewels
Forevermore : The Top Four Gemstones
...what the four top gemstones were for centuries? And why their relative positions have changed over time?1 point
A jewelry box of quotations
....who said "Jewelry keeps people's minds off your wrinkles?"0 points
Of karats, carats and carrots!
....the difference between carats and karats? And which American actress knew the difference?0 points
Gem-inspired Sayings and Phrases
...."Diamonds are a girl's best friend" was actually a song title?0 points
Gemstones in skincare
...the latest fad in cosmetics is the dubious addition of ground up gemstones?0 points
The man who stole the Crown Jewels
....someone bluffed his way into the Tower of London and out of a hanging,drawing and quartering?0 points
World's Oldest Jewelry
....the oldest beads were pierced shells found in the Mediterranean region? Find out how old.0 points
The Last Empress of China
....collected over 3000 boxes of jewelry in her lifetime?0 points
Madame du Barry's Missing Jewelry
...this mistress of Louis XV of France hid her treasures before she was guillontined during the French Revolution?0 points
Jewels for a King's Harlot
...Barbara Villiers, Countess of Castlemaine was so greedy, she even helped herself to those in the Jewel House in the Tower of London?0 points
Gorgeous Gemstone Beads to buy
There is no such thing as too many beads
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Recommended Gemstone Store
For great prices on handpicked gemstones
GEMSTONES
What better gemstone choices than from a jewelry artisan who handpicks them for her own designs and for her store?
Her jewelry blog simply called Szarka's is truly inspirational.
Fetching new data from eBay now... please stand byCrystal Clear
Places named after neutrally coloured gemstones
USA : Utah
CELESTINE in
USA : Indiana
CRYSTAL in
CANADA : Ontario
ITALY : Provincia di Trapani
USA :Colorado,Idaho,Indiana,Kentucky,Michigan,Minnesota,Nevada,New Hampshire,New Mexico,North Dakota,Oklahoma,Pennsylvania,Tennessee
Zimbabwe
CRYSTAL ROCK in
CANADA : Ontario
USA : Ohio
DIAMOND in
CANADA : Manitoba, Nova Scotia
GUYANA : Demerara-Mahaica
JAMAICA : Clarendon
NETHERLANDS ANTILLES
ST LUCIA : Soufrière
TRINIDAD & TOBAGO : Ward of Tobago, Caroni
USA : Alabama, California, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana,Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri,Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, West Virginia
US VIRGIN ISLANDS
ZIRCONIA in
USA : North Carolina
Did you know....
Interesting stuff about clear gemstones
Rock crystal or clear quartz is always colourless whereas diamonds are usually so. Moonstone, fluorite, sapphire and zircon are sometimes clear.
The Jewels of Shah Jahan
.... what Shah Jahan, builder of the Taj Mahal and Elizabeth Taylor have in common?1 point
The fortune telling gemstone
....rock crystal or clear quartz was the original material for crystal balls? And that the ancient Greeks thought it was fossilised ice or ice made by...0 points
10 Cool Diamond Facts
....India was the first nation to regulate this gemstone industry after discovering diamonds some 2500 years ago? And that approximately half of the w...0 points
Canada helps fight blood diamond trade
....Canada is now a significant source of conflict-free diamonds (sometimes laser etched with little polar bears).0 points
Empress Eugenie's Diamond Obsession
....this French Empress was so obsessed with diamonds, she had a copy of the Hope Diamond made?0 points
Bygone jewelry : Diamond Stomacher
....Queen Mary of Great Britain favoured giant brooches called stomachers?0 points
Gemstone Reference Books to buy
Learn more about gemstones and how to buy them
Jewelry artisans should be knowledgeable about the gemstones they use, not just how much they cost but their properties and characteristics. Some gemstones are more fragile than others a factor that does impact on the type of jewelry item it could be used for. Wowing your customer about your gemstone expertise doesn't hurt either!
Gemstones of the World: Newly Revised & Expanded Third Edition
Amazon Price: (as of 11/12/2009) 
Gem Identification Made Easy, Third Edition: A Hands-On Guide to More Confident Buying & Selling
Amazon Price: $24.39 (as of 11/12/2009)
Gemstone Buying Guide, Second Edition: How to Evaluate, Identify, Select & Care for Colored Gems
Amazon Price: $13.57 (as of 11/12/2009)
Secrets of the Gem Trade: The Connoisseur's Guide to Precious Gemstones
Amazon Price: $26.37 (as of 11/12/2009)
Gemstones: Understanding, Identifying, Buying
Amazon Price: $16.50 (as of 11/12/2009)
Cool and Calm
Places named after blue and green gemstones
ROMANIA : Judetul Covurlui
BRAZIL : Minas Gerais
BERYL in
AUSTRALIA : New South Wales, Queensland
SRI LANKA : Southern
SOUTH AFRICA : Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Northern Cape
USA : Arkansas, Pennsylvania,Utah, West Virginia
EMERALD in
AUSTRALIA : Queensland, Victoria
CANADA : Nova Scotia, Ontario
USA : Mississippi, Nebraska, New Mexico, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Utah,Washington, Wisconsin
ZIMBABWE
JADE in
GERMANY : Niedersachsen
INDIA : Karnataka
JADE CITY in
CANADA : British Columbia
MALACHITE in
USA : Colorado
PERIDOT in
USA : Arizona
Zimbabwe
SAPPHIRE in
AUSTRALIA : New South Wales, Queensland
PAPUA NEW GUINEA : Central
SAINT LUCIA : Laborie
SRI LANKA
USA : North Carolina
SERPENTINE in
AUSTRALIA : Victoria, Western Australia
CANADA : Newfoundland and Labrador
NEW ZEALAND
SOUTH AFRICA : KwaZulu-Natal, Western Cape
TURQUOISE in
MEXICO : Baja California (known as Turquesa)
USA : New Mexico
Did you know....
Interesting stuff about blue and green gemstones
Emerald, peridot,malachite,bloodstone and alexandrite are gemstones that are always green. Serpentine, jadeite and aventurine are usually green. But garnets, diamonds, sapphires and even zircon can sometime be found in this hue.
Aquamarine, lapis lazuli,sodalite and turquoise are always blue. Iolite and kyanite are usually blue. The occasional zircon,fluorite,topaz and sapphire can also be blue.
Temple of the Emerald Buddha
....the revered statue in this Thai temple is not emerald but jade?1 point
Peridot : The Evening Emerald
....90% of available peridot comes from just one place in the US?0 points
Malachite : The Midwife Stone
...malachite was thought to lessen labour pains? It was also used in Egyptian eye makeup.0 points
Lapis Lazuli : The Twice Precious Stone
...lapis lazuli was once so costly because the finest came far away Afghaniston, desired as gemstones and as a colour pigment.0 points
Aquamarine : The Mariner's Gemstone
....ancient sailors thought it came from the mermaid's treasure chest?0 points
Emerald & Diamond Tear Drop Earrings
....some 200 years separate these similar earrings designs belonging to Elizabeth Taylor and Josephine Bonarparte?0 points
The Son of Heaven's Jade Obsession
...why this Chinese Emperor slept on jade, ate off jade, wrote jade poetry with jade implements?0 points
Get Your Gemstone Fix
For collectors and connoiseurs
Fetching new data from eBay now... please stand bySilvery and Pearly
Places named after silver, white or pearly gemstones
USA : Alabama, Michigan
GYPSUM in
AUSTRALIA : Victoria
USA : Alaska, Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, New York, Ohio
MOONSTONE in
AUSTRALIA : Queensland
CANADA : Ontario
SOUTH AFRICA : Eastern Cape
USA : California, Wyoming
OPAL (White) in
CANADA : Alberta
CHINA : Xinjiang
MACEDONIA
PAKISTAN : North-West Frontier (known as Upal)
PHILIPPINES : Misamis Oriental (known as Opol)
USA : Arkansas, Missouri,South Dakota, Virginia, West Virginia, Wyoming
PEARL in
CANADA : Ontario
GUYANA : Demerara-Mahaica
SOUTH AFRICA : KwaZulu-Natal
USA : Colorado, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Vermont, Washington
US VIRGIN ISLANDS
PEARL CITY in
USA : Hawaii, Illinois
PLATINUM in
USA : Alaska
SHELL in
COLOMBIA : Meta (known as Castilla La Nueva), Arauca (known as La Hiliera)
ECUADOR : Pastaza
USA : Alabama, California, South Carolina, Texas, Wyoming
SILVER in
CANADA : Manitoba
USA : Arkansas, South Carolina, Texas
Recommended Store
PEARLS
A father and daughter team of direct importers of beautiful Chinese freshwater pearls. The prices are awesome because there are no middlemen. The father is based in Asia and personally selects the gemstone from pearl farms and factories. They also sell other gemstones. Check out their great sales and wholesale lots.
Fetching new data from eBay now... please stand byDid you know....
Interesting stuff about pearls
Some of pearls used in jewelry design are dyed but naturally coloured pearls are also available and more pricey. The colour of the pearl is determined by its particular habitate and the type of mollusk it comes from.
In the footsteps of a pearl dealer
...what the pearl industry in China is really like?1 point
Ama Women Pearl Divers of Japan
....these remarkable female divers of Japan do it without modern scuba gear?0 points
Roman Obsession for Pearls
....that Julius Caesar invaded Britain for its freshwater pearls?0 points
Baroda Pearls and the Indian Wallis Simpson
....Sita Devi, the second wife of an Indian Maharaja shared some things in common with Wallis Simpson?0 points
Pearl Diving : A dirty job
....why pearl divers did not live to old age.0 points
The Vanderbilt Heiress and her pearl choker
....Consuelo Vanderbilt married an English Duke but it wasn't the fairy tale ending of romance stories?0 points
Marco Polo's Gift : Arco-Valley Pearl
....this large baroque pearl travelled back to Italy with Marco Polo sewn into clothes?0 points
Marie Antoinette's Pearls
....these were pearls smuggled out of France on Marie Antoinette's behalf but never claimed?0 points
Did Cleopatra swallow the pearl whole?
....Cleopatra hosted history's most expensive dinner?0 points
Unlucky or Lucky Pearls
....in some cultures pearls were considered lucky so long as you didn't buy it for yourself?0 points
La Peregrina Pearl
....was once owned by Mary I of England and now belongs to Elizabeth Taylor.0 points
Gemstone Jewelry Making Books to buy
To help you make beautiful one of a kind jewelry
Beading with Gemstones: Beautiful Jewelry, Simple Techniques
Amazon Price: $16.47 (as of 11/12/2009)
Making Jewelry with Gemstone Beads
Amazon Price: $13.59 (as of 11/12/2009)
Making Designer Gemstone and Pearl Jewelry
Amazon Price: $21.36 (as of 11/12/2009)
Warm and Hot Spots
Places named after red, pink and purple gemstones
BRAZIL : Bahia (Brejinho das Amethystas), Espirito Santo (Ametista), Rio Grande do Sul (Ametistas
CORAL in
CANADA : Ontario
COLOMBIA : Antioquia
CUBA : La Habana, Camagüey
GREECE : Nomós Lasithíou
PERU : Departamento de Moquegua
PHILIPPINES : Southern Tagalog
SOUTH AFRICA : KwaZulu-Natal
SPAIN : Provincia de Málaga
USA : Illinois, Michigan, Mississippi, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin
VENEZUELA : Falcón
FLUORITE in
CANADA : Ontario
GARNET in
CANADA : Ontario
FRANCE : Levainville
SOUTH AFRICA : Eastern Cape
USA : California, Michigan, Montana, Nevada,Wisconsin
RUBY in
AUSTRALIA : Victoria
BARBADOS : Saint Philip
CANADA : Ontario
MADAGASCAR : Toliara (known as Torak' i Ruby)
MARSHALL ISLANDS : (known as Eleleron)
SAINT LUCIA : Soufriere
USA : Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Illinois, Michigan, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, New York, South Carolina, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin
US VIRGIN ISLANDS
Did you know....
Interesting stuff about warm coloured gemstones
Rose quartz, morganite (sometimes called pink emeralds), rhodonite and rubies are always red or pink. Jadeite, topaz, tourmaline, coral, jasper,spinel and sapphires can sometimes be red or pink.
Moussaieff Red Diamond
....the rarest fancy colour of diamond is red?0 points
The Black Prince's Ruby
....this gemstone on the British Imperial Crown is not a ruby but a spinel?0 points
Amethyst : The Sober Gemstone
....amethyst was once used as a talisman against drunkenness?0 points
Burma's Blood Rubies
....why Burma's brutal military regime's control on their ruby mines is despicable?0 points
Tanzanite: A newly popular gemstone
....tanzanite is only found in one place?0 points
Expensive Pink Emerald Heart
....pink emerald is actually another beryl called morganite? Emeralds are always green.0 points
Beautiful Gemstone Jewelry to Buy
Express your inner goddess
Fetching new data from eBay now... please stand bySun and Earth
Places named after sunny yellow to brown gemstones
CANADA : British Columbia, Ontario
GHANA : (known as Agute)
USA : Colorado, Michigan, Nebraska, North Dakota, Washington
AMBER in
AFGHANISTAN : Laghman
AUSTRALIA : Queensland
FRANCE : Auvergne
INDIA : Rajasthan (known as Amer)
USA : Iowa, Michigan, Nevada, New York, Okhlahoma, Washington
GOLD in
ANGOLA : Cuanza Norte (known as Goio)
GERMANY : Schleswig-Holstein
INDIA : Jammu and Kashmir
USA : North Carolina, Utah
ZIMBABWE
JASPER in
CANADA : Alberta, Ontario
SOUTH AFRICA : Limpopo
USA : Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado,Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon,South Carolina,Tennessee, Texas,Virginia
ONYX in
MEXICO : Baja California (known as El Tule)
USA : Arkansas, California, Idaho
TOPAZ in
AUSTRALIA : Queensland
MALTA
SPAIN : Balearic Islands, Illes Blaears
USA : Arkansas, California,Indiana, Missouri, Utah
Did you know?
Interesting facts about golden hued gemstones and gold
Citrine, carnelian, smoky quartz and of course, gold are always yellow or brownish. Amber is best known as a honey coloured gemstone but it also comes in other colours. It was once known as "gold of the north". Enstatite and aventurine quartz is usually yellowish brown. Even diamonds can sometimes be yellowish.
Epitaph for an amber insect
....that dinosaurs cannot be cloned from the supposed DNA found in an amber insect?0 points
The amber fishermen
....amber fishing along the Baltic Sea was also one of history's dirty jobs?0 points
Have gold chains will travel
....what travellers used before credit cards and travellers' cheques?0 points
Lost Irish Eldorado
....there was once leprechaun's gold of sorts in Ireland?0 points
Rockin' Stuff on CafePress
For Rockhounds and Beadaholics
Classic Black
Places named after black or usually black gemstones
BELGIUM : Namur
CAMEROON : (known as Yett)
FRANCE : Brittany
NETHERLANDS : Friesland
USA : Alabama,California, Oklahoma
OBSIDIAN
USA : Idaho
Useful Stuff for Jewelry Artisans and Enthusiasts
Tips and Resources
Six most useful jewelry making tools
A quick round-up of the tools most people will use frequently with suggestions for more as your hobby grows.0 points
Metalchasers : Social Network for Jewelry Artisans
A review of a new social network where all the members share the same interest.0 points
How to clean off green gunk on jewelry
Verdigris aka as green gunk looks great on statues but not on your jewelry!0 points
Free Jewelry Making Video Tutorial Sites
A review of free video tutorial sites for jewelry makers who wish to learn more.0 points
13 things I learnt about jewelry photography
Great tips for taking pictures of jewelry.0 points
What to do when you lose your mojo to bead
16 tips on how to reignite your creativity.0 points
My Favourite Lenses
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Gems of the World Headquarters
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Gems of the World This is a group for us who love loose gemstones. All gems from Alexandrite to Zircon. If you love gems this is the place to be.
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Leslie Brenner Fine Jewelry
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Leslie Brenner's fine jewelry is unique, with a one-of-a-kind style. This is handcrafted studio jewelry made from gold, sterling silver, precious and semiprecious gems.
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Pigeon Blood Red the Color of Rubies and Passion
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Everything you wanted to know about the Ruby gemstone. Legends, myths, lore and history of rubies. Famous ruby gems and their owners. Ruby gem mining locations and of course beautiful ruby jewelry.
Reader Feedback
Do you come from or have been to these jewels? Any hamlet, town or city missing? Sign the Guestbook and tell us about it!
LauraKay wrote...
Hi BeadingGem! Just thought I'd drop by and give you a quick hello! I've been busy with a lot of projects lately but I always find time to read your site! Keep up the great work! Oh, and I finally created my own bead jewelry Squidoo page!
Posted June 26, 2008
Evelyn_Saenz wrote...
Fancy Nancy loves your lens so much that she is sending you virtual Adjectives. To help you say I Love You.
5 Stars and favored!
Posted April 22, 2008
MSchindel wrote...
A wonderfully engaging and informative lens! Thanks so much for putting this together. :)
Margaret
Precious Metal Clay / PMC and Art Clay Silver lens
Posted April 07, 2008
by beadinggem
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