Jewelry Etymology: Where do the names of our favorite gemstones come from?

Have you ever wondered why Amethyst is called Amethyst? Or what the name "Diamond" actually means? The names of our favorite gemstones are fascinating windows into human history. This guide explains the origin of gemstone names – a piece of jewelry history you carry in your pocket.

Diamond – the Unconquerable

From the Greek adamas – "unconquerable, indestructible." The name refers to the diamond's Mohs hardness of 10 – the hardest material on Earth. In the Middle Ages, adamas became diamant in French, and from there into German. Every time you say "Diamond," you are actually saying: "The Indestructible."

Amethyst – the Sober

Greek: amethystos – "not intoxicated" (a = not, methyein = to be intoxicated). The Greeks believed an amethyst in a wine goblet would prevent drunkenness. Wine goblets were made of or adorned with amethyst – for strategically sober drinking festivities. The violet stone thus carries the promise of prudence in its name.

Ruby – the Red

Simply from the Latin ruber – "red." The ruby needs no poetic circumscription – its color is its identity. Interestingly: "Rubeola" (measles) also comes from the same root.

Sapphire – the Blue

From the Greek sappheiros – probably from the Sanskrit sanipriya = "beloved by Saturn." The Ancient Greeks associated certain gemstones with planets and gods. Sapphire was Saturn's stone. Interestingly, the Greeks often used "sappheiros" to refer to lapis lazuli – not today's sapphire.

Emerald – Green Ray

From the Greek smaragdos – "green stone." The Sanskrit word marakata ("green stone") is the possible ancestor. Via Latin smaragdus into Middle High German. The color designation "emerald green" comes directly from the stone.

Turquoise – the Turkish

Literally "the Turkish stone" – from the French turquoise (Turkish). The stone came to Europe via Turkey, although it originally came from Persia and Egypt. European traders only knew the Turkish trade route – and so the stone was named after its transit country.

Aquamarine – Seawater

From the Latin aqua marina – literally "seawater." One of the most poetic gemstone names. It precisely describes what the stone shows: the transparent blue-green of the shallow Mediterranean Sea. The name is a picture.

Opal – the Noble Stone

From the Sanskrit upala – "gemstone" (without further specification). Via Greek opallios into Latin. For antiquity, the opal was simply: the gemstone. Its unrivaled brilliance justified this generic honorary title.

Garnet – the Pomegranate

From the Latin granatus – "granular, seeded." The garnet crystal resembles the seeds of the pomegranate (Punica granatum) in shape and deep red color. The stone is named after the fruit, not the other way around. A beautiful image: every garnet jewelry carries the fruit in its name.

Pearl – the Round

From the Latin perla or perna – "mussel shell, ham" (because of the shell shape). The pearl is named after its shape. Another interpretation: From the Greek peristera – "dove" – because of the dove-egg-like shape of large pearls.

Moonstone – the Moonlight

The moonstone has the same name in almost all languages: "Mondstein" (English: Moonstone, French: Pierre de lune, Arabic: Hajar al-qamar). The bluish shimmer, reminiscent of moonlight, has evoked the same associations universally – across all cultural boundaries.

Gemstone Jewelry with History at Corelune Jewellery

Every gemstone carries millennia of history in its name. At Corelune Jewellery, you wear not only beauty – you wear history.

👉 Discover gemstone jewelry – with deep meaning!