Information on Trade Names and False Names Associated with Gemstones

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A number of gem merchants mislabel and misrepresent colored stones to the buying public. They may use some of the trade names below. Trade names are not meant to be misleading, but can be misleading nonetheless if you're not familiar with them. For example, a Majorca pearl is an imitation pearl.

Legitimate gem names are sometimes used to describe something that's not quite the real thing. For instance, some may describe lab-grown Alexandrite as simply "Alexandrite." That is clearly misleading.

For more information on how Gemstones are Names See The Nomenclature of Gems

Trade / False Name	Explanation
Adelaide Ruby	Garnet from Adelaide, Australia.
African Emerald	Green Fluorite from Namibia.
African Jade	Green Grossular Garnet.
Alabandine Ruby	Almandine Garnet.
Alabaster Onyx	Banded Travertine or Stalagmatic Calcite.
Alaska Diamond	Quartz (Rock Crystal).
Alaska Jade	Pectolite.
Alencon Diamond	Quartz (Rock Crystal).
Alexandrine	Color-Change Lab-Grown Corundum or Spinel (Imitating Alexandrite).
Alexandrite Garnet	Color-Change Garnet.
Almandine Spinel	Lab-Grown Spinel.
Alpine Diamond	Pyrites.
Amazon Jade	Amazonite (a Feldspar).
Amberine	Yellowish-Green Moss Agate.
American Ruby	Almandine Garnet, or Rose Quartz.
Ancona Ruby	Rose Quartz.
Andesine Jade	Andesine.
Antilles Pearl	Mother-of-Pearl (MOP) from a Sea Snail.
Aqua Gem	Light Blue Synthetic Spinel.
Aqualite	Blue Tourmaline.
Arabian Magic Diamond	Lab-Grown Colorless or Yellow Corundum.
Arizona Ruby	Pyrope Garnet from Arizona.
Arizona Spinel	Garnet.
Arkansas Diamond	Rock Crystal Quartz from Arkansas; can be real, too.
Atlas Pearls	Beads made from White Satin Spar Calcite.
Australian Amber	Kauri Resin.
Australian Jade/Turquoise	A material found in Australia, probably Variscite.
Australian Ruby	Garnet.

Baffa Diamond	Rock Crystal Quartz.
Balas Ruby	Red Spinel (dates to Middle Ages).
Bastard Emerald	Peridot, Green Quartz, or nearly any Green Stone.
Beach Moon stone	Quartz.
Bengal Amethyst	Purple Sapphire.
Berilo	Green Apatite.
Black Amber	Jet.
(Alaska) Black Diamond	Hematite; or real Diamond with numerous Black inclusions.
Black Hills Ruby	Garnet.
Black Prince's Ruby	Famous Red Spinel in British Crown Jewels.
Blue Alexandrite	Color-Change Sapphire.
Blue Malachite	Azurite.
Blue Moon stone	Blue-Stained Chalcedony.
Blue Opal	Lazulite.
Blue Talc	Kyanite.
Bohemian Crystal	Moldavite.
Bohemian Diamond	Rock Crystal Quartz.
Bohemian Emerald	Green Fluorspar.
Bohemian Ruby	Red Garnets.
Bohemian Topaz	Citrine.
Bottlestone	Moldavite cut Gems.
Briancon Diamond	Rock Crystal Quartz.
Brighton Diamond	Rock Crystal Quartz.
Broghton Emerald	Glass Emerald Simulant.
Bristol Diamond	Rock Crystal Quartz.
Burma Sapphire	Lab-Grown Blue Corundum.
Buxton Diamond	Rock Crystal Quartz.

California Jade	Californite.
California Moonstone	Chalcedony.
California Ruby	Garnet.
Canadian Lapis	Sodalite.
Cape Emerald	Prehnite.
Cape May Diamond	Quartz.
Cape Ruby	Pyrope Garnet.
Carbuncle	Refers to any deep Red Garnet, usually Pyrope (but also Almandine) cut into a Cabochon. This is an ancient term and is rarely used anymore.
Catalina Sardonyx	Catalinite (beach pebbles from the island off CA).
Cave Pearl	Concretions of Calcium Carbonate with Pearly luster.
Ceylon Diamond	Colorless Zircon.
Ceylon Opal	Moonstone.
Ceylon Peridot	Yellowish-Green Tourmaline.
Champlain Marble	Massive Dolomite from Vermont.
Chinese Turquoise	Calcite / Quartz / Blue-Dyed-Soapstone. (Can Be Real) In 1988 when this guide was published nobody had heard of Chinese Turquoise. in 2000 it is one of the hottest stones on the market and yes it is Turquoise.
Colorado Diamond	Smoky Quartz.
Colorado Jade	Green Microcline Feldsapr.
Colorado Ruby	Pyrope Garnet.
Colorado Topaz	Citrine.
Congo Emerald	Dioptase.
Congo Ivory	Ivory Simulant made in South Africa.
Connemara Marble	Dark Green to Gray Serpentinite.
Copper Emerald	Dioptase.
Copper Lapis	Azurite.
Copper Malachite	Chrysocolla.
Cornish Diamond	Rock Crystal Quartz.
Crystalline Emerald	Quartz.
CZ Diamond	Cubic Zirconia, an Inexpensive Manmade Diamond Imitator.

Dauphin Diamond	Rock Crystal Quartz.
Desert Amethyst	Solarized Glass.
Diamond	There are many misleading names given to Diamond imitators, such as: DiaGem, Diakon, Dialite, Diamanite, Diamite, DiamoGem, Diamonair, Diamonaura, Diamon-brite, Diamone, Diamonesque, Diamonette, Diamonflame, Diamonique I II and III, Diamonite, Diamonte, Diamontina, Diamondite, Diamothyst, Diarita, Di'Yag, Djevalite, ...
Delta Pearl	Imitation Pearl.

Earth Stone	Amber or Andalusite.
Electric Emerald	Green Glass Imitation.
Elie Ruby	Pyrope Garnet.
Emeraldine	Misleading term for Green dyed Chalcedony.
Emeraldite	Green Tourmaline.
Emerald Malachite	Green Fluorspar.
Emerald matrix	Green Fluorspar.
Emeralite	Green Tourmaline.
Emerauldine	Dioptase.
Endura Emerald	Green Glass Emerald simulant.
Evening Emerald	Peridot.
Eye Clean	A meaningless term used to imply a higher clarity grade than may be present; a standard grade should be stated instead (F, IF, VVS1, etc.). (See also "loupe clean" below.)

Faience Lapis	Ceramic.
False Amethyst	Purple Fluorspar.
False Lapis	Dyed Jasper, Lazulite.
Fashoda Ruby	Iron-rich Pyrope Garnet.
Feldspar-Apyre	Andalusite.
Ferrer's Emerald	Green Glass Emerald simulant.
Fictile Ivory	Plaster-of-Paris imitation of an Ivory carving.
Fire Jade	Looks like Tiger's Eye, mainly Opal.
Fire Pearl	Billitonite.
Finder's Diamond	Colorless Topaz.
Fossil Turquoise	Odontolite.
Fukien Jade	Soapstone.

Garnet Jade	Massive Green Grossular Garnet.
Geneva Ruby	Lab-Grown Ruby.
German Diamond	Rock Crystal Quartz.
German Gold	Amber.
German Lapis	Sodalite, or Jasper. (see also Swiss Lapis)
German Silver	A white metal alloy of Nickel, Copper, and Zinc.
Gibsonville Emerald	Green Quartz.
Glass Agate	Obsidian.
Golden Topaz	Gold-Colored Quartz.
Gold Sapphire	Lapis with flecks of pyrite.
Green Garnet	Enstatite (though there are Green Garnets).
Green Onyx	Green-stained Chalcedony.

Hawaiian Diamonds	Quartz.
Hawaiian Golden Yellow Topaz	Clear plagioclase Feldspar.
Hawaiite	Peridot from Hawaii.
Herkimer Diamond	Herkimer diamonds are a particular formation of Quartz Crystal, which can be found in Herkimer, New York, USA.
Hinjosa Topaz	Yellow Quartz.
Honan Jade	Soapstone.
Hope Sapphire	Synthetic Blue Spinel.
Honan Jade	Soapstone.
Horatio Diamond	Rock Crystal Quartz.
Hot Springs Diamond	Rock Crystal Quartz.
Hyacinth Topaz	Incorrect name for Hyacinth (a Zircon). Now used to describe a color.

Iceland Agate	Obsidian.
Imperial Mexican Jade	Green-dyed Calcite.
Imperial Sodden Snow Jade	White Nephrite.
Indian Emerald	Green-dyed cracked Quartz.
Indian Jade	Aventurine.
Indian Topaz	Yellow Sapphire.
Irish Diamond	Quartz.
Italian Lapis	see Swiss Lapis.
Isle of Wight Diamonds	Quartz.
Ivory Pearls	Spheroids found in Tusk Cavities.
Ivory Turquoise	Odontolite.

Jade Tenace	Saussarite.
Jadine	Australian Chrysoprase.
Jasper Jade	Green Jasper or Serpentine.
Jade Tenace	Saussurite (Whiteish to Light Green, H6.5).
Jeweler's Topaz	Citrine.
Jourado Diamond	Colorless Synthetic Spinel.

Kandy Spinel	Reddish-violet Garnet from Sri Lanka.
Killiecrankie Diamond	Colorless Topaz from Australia.
King Topaz	Yellow Sapphire.
Korea Jade	A loose term for nearly any Green Stone and/or impure Jade.

La Beau Pearls	Imitation Pearl.
La Tausca Pearls	Imitation Pearl.
Lake George Diamond	Quartz.
Lake Superior Fire Agate	Glass Opal simulant.
Lithia Amethyst	Spodumene, variety Kunzite.
Lithia Emerald	Spodumene, variety Hiddenite (lithium).
Lux Sapphire	Cordierite.
Lynz Sapphire	Cordierite.

Madeira Topaz	Citrine.
Manchurian Jade	Soapstone.
Mari/Marmora/Marmarosch Diamond	Quartz.
Mascot Emerald	Soud� triplet Emerald.
Mass Aqua	Glass simluant of Aquamarine.
Matura Diamond	Colorless Zircon.
Medina Emerald	Green Glass.
Meru Sapphire	Blue Zoisite.
Meta-Jade	Japanese Glass Jade simulant.
Mexican Agate/Jade/Onyx	Massive/Banded Calcite.
Mexican Diamond	Quartz or Danburite.
Mogok Diamond	Colorless Burmese Topaz.
Mojave MoonStone	Lilac-tinted Chalcedony from Mojave Desert area.
Montana Jet	Obsidian, from Yellowstone Park.
Montana Ruby	Red Garnet.
Mont Blanc Ruby	Rose Quartz.
Mother-of-Emerald	Prase or Green Fluorite.
Mountain Ruby	Red Garnet.
Mutzschen Diamond	Rock Crystal Quartz.

Nerchinsk Aquamarine	Blue Topaz.
Nevada Black Diamond	Obsidian.
Nevada Lapis	A form of Chalcedony (not from Nevada, either).
Nevada Topaz	Smoky Obsidian.
Nevada Turquoise	Variscite, though it may be genuine, too.
New Jade	Bowenite.
Night Emerald	Peridot.
Nickel Silver	Nickel, copper, zinc alloy of Silver.

Occidental cat's eye	Quartz.
Occidental Diamond	Rock Crystal Quartz.
Occidental Topaz	Citrine.
Oil Pearl	Mother-of-Pearl (MOP) from a sea snail.
Olivene	Demantoid Garnet; (Olivine is the mineral name).
One-year Pearl	a Pearl with very thin nacre regardless of age.
Opal Glass	Glass imitator of other Stones, but not Opal.
Orange Topaz	Brownish-Yellow Quartz.
Oregon Jade	Dark Green plasma variety of Chalcedony, jasper.
Oregon MoonStone	Chalcedony.
Oriental Emerald	Green Sapphire or Green Chlorospinel.

Palmeira Topaz	Brown Lab-Grown Sapphire.
Palmyra Topaz	Pale Yellow heat-treated Amethyst/Citrine.
Paphros Diamond	Rock Crystal Quartz.
Pecos Diamond	Rock Crystal Quartz.
Pectolite Jade	Pectolite (nothing to do with Jade).
Pedrara Onyx	Stalagmite Marble from Mexico.
Pillow Cut	Cushion cut.
Pink MoonStone	Opalescent pink Scapolite.
Pomegranate Ruby	Red Spinel.
Prismatic Emerald	Euclase.
Prismatic MoonStone	Chalcedony.
Prismatic Quartz	Cordierite.
PseudoChrysolite	Moldavite.
Pyramidal Garnet	Idocrase.
PyroEmerald	Green Fluorite.

Quartz Topaz	Citrine.
Quasima Diamond	Rock Crystal Quartz.
Quebec Diamond	Rock Crystal Quartz.

Radium Diamond	Smoky Quartz.
Rainbow magic Diamond	Synthetic Rutile.
Red Jade	Reddish Quartzite, and the Red variety of Dumortierite in Quartz. Although Jade can be dyed Red.
Red Sea Pearls	Coral Beads.
Rhine Diamond	Rock Crystal Quartz.
Rhyolite Glass	Obsidian.
Rocky Mountain Ruby	Garnet.
Rock Ruby	Pyrope Garnet.
Roman Pearls	Glass bead Pearl imitations.
Rose kunzite	Synthetic pink Sapphire.
Rose Moonstone	Pink Scapolite. But you can get Peach Moonstone. It does occur naturally.
Rozircon	Rose-Colored Synthetic Spinel.
Rubicelle	Yellow-Orange Spinel.
Ruby balas	Red Spinel.
Ruby Spinel	Red Spinel.

Sacred Turquoise	Smithsonite.
Salamanca Topaz	Fiery-Colored citrine.
San Diego Ruby	Red Tourmaline.
Saphir d'eau (French)	Translates "water Sapphire" but is Iolite.
Sapphire Quartz	Blue Chalcedony, or hawk's eye Quartz.
Sapphire Spinel	Blue Spinel.
Sapphirine	Blue Chalcedony, Blue Spinel, or Blue Glass.
Saxon Diamond	Colorless Topaz.
Saxon Topaz	Citrine.
Schaumberg Diamond	Rock Crystal Quartz.
Scotch Topaz	Cairngorm, Citrine, or Smoky Quartz.
Scottish Topaz	Quartz.
Serpentine Jade	Common name for Serpentine. Not a true jade but used as a substitute for over a 1,000 years.
Shanghai Jade	Steatite or Talc.
Siam Aquamarine	Heat-Treated Blue-Green Zircon.
Siberian Ruby	Pink or Red Tourmaline.
Sicilian Marble	White Italian Marble clouded with greyish veins.
Siliceous Malachite	Green Chrysocolla.
Silver peak Jade	Malachite (local Nevada term).
Sinopal	Reddish Aventurine Quartz.
Smoky Citrine	Smoky Quartz.
Smoky Topaz	Smoky Quartz.
Soochow Jade	Bowenite or Steatite.
South African Emerald	Faceted Emerald-Green Fluorspar from Namibia.
Spanish Emerald	Green Glass.
Spanish lazulite	Cordierite (Iolite).
Spanish Topaz	Orange-Brown Quartz.
Spinel Ruby	Red Spinel.
Star Ruby Sapphire	Pink/Purple/Violet star Sapphires.
Star Topaz	Yellow star Sapphire.
Stolberg Diamond	Rock Crystal Quartz.
Styrian Jade	Pseudophite or Penninite.
Swiss Jade	Green-stained jasper.
Swiss Lapis	Blue Dyed Chalcedony or Jasper.
Synthetic Alexandrite	Is often Synthetic Corundum or Spinel.
Synthetic Aquamarine	Is often Synthetic Corundum or Spinel.

Tasmanian Diamond	Rock Crystal Quartz.
Tecla Emerald	False Triplet.
Tecla Pearls	Imitation Pearls that are solid or wax filled.
Timur Ruby	The largest known Red Spinel, British Crown Jewels.
Tokay lux Sapphire	Hungarian Black obsidian.
Tooth Turquoise	Odontolite.
Topazolite	Yellow andradite Garnet.
Topaz cat's eye	Yellow girasol Sapphire.
Topaz Quartz	Brownish-Yellow Quartz.
Topaz saffronite	Brownish-Yellow Quartz.
Tourmaline Green	Synthetic dark-Green Spinel.
Transvaal Emerald	Flourspar.
Transvaal Jade	Massive Green Grossular Garnet.
Trenton Diamond	Rock Crystal Quartz.

Unripe Ruby	Red zircon.
Uralian Emerald	Demantoid Garnet.
Uralian Sapphire	Blue Tourmaline.
Utah Onyx	Translucent Lemon-Colored stalagmite Marble with orange veins.
Utah Turquoise	Variscite.

Vallum Diamond	Rock Crystal Quartz.
Vanadium Emerald	Green beryl Colored with vanadium.
Verdelite	Green Tourmaline.
Vermeil	Orange-Red Zircon, Garnets, or Spinel.
Vesuvian Garnet	Leucite.
Vesuvianite Jade	Californite.
Vienna Turquoise	Glass imitation of Turquoise.
Volcanic Chrysolite	Idocrase, or Vesuvianite.
Washita Diamond	Rock Crystal Quartz.
Water Chrysolite	Moldavite.
Water Sapphire	cordierite.
White Garnet	Leucite.
Wyse Ruby	see Geneva Ruby.
Yaqui Onyx	A Marble from Baja and Mexico.
Yava Onyx	Marble from Yavapai County, AZ.
Zabeltitzen Diamond	Rock Crystal Quartz.
Zebra jasper	Brown Limonite with Lighter brown layers of ancient shells.
Zircon Spinel	Synthetic Blue Spinel.
Read, P.G. (1988), Dictionary of Gemmology, 2nd. ed., Butterworth-Heinemann, Oxford,

A Disclaimer: Effort has been made of including information that is found in at least two sources. I can make no claim on the accuracy of this information. I am not a Geologist or Gemologist. I make no guarantees and infer no warranties. For more information, please refer to the bibliography.
Copyright Information: Although I have included a bibliography, but no attempt has been made to give credit to individual passages. If you are an author and feel that I have infringed on your copyrighted material please let me know. With that in mind, all material and information, retain their respected Copyrights.
I encourage the reader to pursue the further study of any topic that they find particularly interesting. A good place to start is your local library.
Bibliography:

The curious lore of precious stones - Author Kunz, George Frederick, 1856-1932.

Gem identification made easy - Matlins, Antoinette Leonard.

Gems: Their Sources, Descriptions and Identification - By Robert Webster, Peter G. Read (Editor).

Gemstone Enhancement: history, science and state of the art - by Kurt Nassau.

Gemstones of the world - Walter Schumann ; translated by Evelyne Stern.

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