Trade Names of Stones: Beware of Misleading Names!
The names of natural stones vary depending on cultures, eras, and sometimes even marketing. Some names can be confusing, especially when they refer to synthetic stones or imitations. It is essential to correctly identify minerals to avoid purchasing errors.
👉 Discover in this article a list of common names and their true equivalents, as well as tips for recognizing authentic stones.
Different Types of Stone Designations
Trade names for stones can be categorized in several ways:
✅ Historical and cultural names: names given by tradition or due to their color (e.g., "Moss Agate" for a variety of green agate).
✅ Marketing names: created to give a better image to a stone (e.g., "Andean Opal" which is actually a variety of chalcedony).
✅ Synthetic stones and imitations: created in a laboratory but often sold under a name similar to a natural stone (e.g., "Hydrothermal Quartz" which is synthetic).
✅ False commercial names: used to sell a stone different from its true nature (e.g., "African Turquoise" which is often dyed jasper).
A
Amatrice: Commercial name given to a variscite, diminutive of "American matrix".
Black Amber: Old name given to Jet. It is a variety of black lignite that comes from the fossilization of conifer and plant debris.
Amegreen (or Amergreen): Commercial name given to an amethyst with prasiolite.
Pink Amethyst: Commercial name given to a quartz with hematite inclusions, from Argentina.
Green Amethyst (sometimes called Amegreen): Commercial name given to a prasiolite, a green quartz, not to be confused with prase quartz and prasolite.
Ammolite: Commercial name given to an ammonite fossil with colored iridescence, from Alberta, Canada.
Angelite: Commercial name given to a massive blue anhydrite from Peru.
Apache gold: Commercial name given to an association of pyrite and chalcopyrite with their matrix, black schist from the United States.
Aphrodite: Commercial name given to a cobaltocalcite.
Aquaprase: Commercial name given to a blue-green chalcedony, from Africa.
Arizonaite (saffordite): Commercial name given to a "pseudo-tektite", a variety of obsidian.
Astaraline: Commercial name given to a massive, poor quality quartz, with muscovite and cronstedtite inclusions.
Asteria: Old name given to a star ruby or sapphire.
Strawberry Aventurine: Another name for red aventurine. It is a variety of quartz containing mica inclusions which gives it its pink-red color.
Atlantisite: Commercial name given to a stichtite with serpentine, from Tasmania, Australia (also called "Tasmanite").
Auralite: 23: Commercial name given to a banded amethyst with Prasiolite, and goethite and lepidocrocite inclusions.
Azeztulite: Commercial name given to a whitish massive quartz more or less yellowed by the presence of iron oxides.
Azul: Old name given to a lapis lazuli.
Azumar: Commercial name given to a quartz with kaolinite inclusions from Arizona, also designates amazonite, larimar, blue aragonite, and blue calcite.
Aqua aura: Commercial name given to a treated and transformed quartz with iridescence, due to titanium and gold treatment.
B
Balinyouqi stone: Old name given to a rock composed of cinnabar, quartz, kaolinite, and dickite.
Banalinga: Old Sanskrit name given to a Shiva lingam.
Blue John: Commercial name given to a banded fluorite, purple and yellow in color, from Derbyshire, England.
Bodeachat: Commercial name given to glass from industrial waste, often blue in color.
Bolivianite: Commercial name given to an ametrine.
Buddstone: Commercial name given to a massive fuchsite with impurities, from South Africa.
Buffonite: Old name given to a fossil fish tooth, now extinct.
Bismuth:
C
Cairngorm: Locally used name given to a smoky quartz (morion) found in the Cairngorm mountains in Scotland.
Calamine: Old name given to hemimorphite or smithsonite; these two minerals were confused.
Lemurian Aquatine Calcite: Commercial name given to a banded blue calcite, also called blue onyx.
Callais: Old name given to turquoise, also called Callaina.
Carborundum (carborandite): Commercial name given to a synthetic mineral, it is an industrial residue with rainbow iridescence. It is a mixture of carbon and silicon heated by humans to over 1200°C.
Castellite: Synonym given to titanite, also called sphene.
Cermikite: Name given to a synthetic mineral, composed of aluminum sulfate and potassium.
Chalybite: Synonym given to siderite.
Chandrakanta: Old Hindi name given to a moonstone.
Chinese Charoite: Commercial name given to a banded purple fluorite or a massive quartz, dyed purple.
Chessylite: Old name given to azurite, from Chessy les mines, France.
Venus's Hair: Commercial name given to a quartz with rutile or amphibole inclusions.
Chrysanthemum stone: Commercial name given to crystallized stones in the shape of a "flower", made of calcite, chalcedony and/or dolomite replaced by celestite, on a black matrix.
Chrysolite: Old name given to peridot.
Lemon Chrysoprase: Commercial name given to a yellow magnesite.
Cinnabrite: Commercial name given to a quartz with cinnabar inclusions.
Cinnazez: Commercial name given to a quartz with cinnabar and zinc inclusions.
Cintamani: Commercial name given to a "pseudo-tektite", a variety of obsidian.
Colombianite: Commercial name given to a "pseudo-tektite", a variety of obsidian.
Coppernite: Commercial name given to a metamorphic rock with iridescent amphiboles, anthophyllite, and gedrite, similar to nuummite.
Crapaudine: Old name given to a fossil fish tooth, now extinct.
Andara Crystal: Commercial name given to industrial glass, sold as natural.
Csarite: Commercial name given to a diaspore, from Turkey.
D
Darbyshire spar: Commercial name given to a banded fluorite, purple and yellow in color, from Derbyshire, England.
Darwinite: Synonym given to Darwin glass, a variety of tektite from Tasmania, Australia.
Devalite: Commercial name given to serpentine associated with gray quartz.
Ceylon Diamond: Commercial name given to a colorless zircon.
Herkimer Diamond: Commercial name given to a bi-terminated, stout, and brilliant rock crystal, most often from Herkimer, USA.
Alaska Black Diamond: Commercial name given to hematite.
Dianite: Synonym given to columbite.
Dianite jade: Commercial name given to a rock rich in amphibole, potassium-richterite, also called Siberian blue jade, although this rock has nothing to do with jade.
Dichroite: Synonym given to cordierite.
Disthene: Synonym given to kyanite.
E
Eisenkiesel: A synonym given to a hematoid quartz or a quartz with hematite inclusions
Eldarite: A trade name given to rhyolite, a volcanic rock
Emeraldite: A trade name given to green tourmaline
Empholite: A synonym given to a diaspore
Carbuncle: An old name given to an almandine garnet, ruby or spinel
Essonite: An old name given to a hessonite garnet
Eisenkiesel: A synonym given to a hematoid quartz or a quartz with hematite inclusions
F
G
Galaxite / Galaxyite: A trade name given to a labradorite inclusion in an amphibole-containing rock; not to be confused with galaxite, a variety of spinel
Gel lithium silica: A trade name given to lepidolite
Gem silica – Chrysocolla dispersed in chalcedony or opal.
Goldstone: A trade name given to a shimmering, brown-orange industrial glass, often sold as sunstone or brown aventurine
Blue Goldstone: A trade name given to a shimmering, blue industrial glass, often sold as moonstone
H
Hafnefjordite: A synonym given to labradorite
Healer's gold: A trade name given to an association of pyrite and chalcopyrite with their matrix, black shale
Healerite: A trade name given to light green serpentine
Heartenite: A trade name given to dark green serpentine
Hecatolite: A synonym given to moonstone, in its orthoclase variety
Hemalyke: A trade name given to a reconstitution of iron oxide, imitating hematite
Hilutite: A trade name given to a quartz with garnet or zircon inclusions
Labrador Hornblende: A synonym given to hypersthene
I
Idocrase: A synonym given to vesuvianite
Infinite: A trade name given to serpentine from South Africa
Inkalite: A trade name given to white quartz from Peru
Iolite: A synonym given to cordierite
J
African Jade: A trade name given to massive fuchsite with impurities, from South Africa
Amazon Jade: A trade name given to amazonite
Siberian Blue Jade: A trade name given to an amphibole-rich rock, potassium-richterite, although this rock has nothing to do with jade
Colorado Jade: A trade name given to amazonite
Dianite Jade: A trade name given to an amphibole-rich rock, potassium-richterite, also called Siberian blue jade, although this rock has nothing to do with jade
Indian Jade: A trade name given to aventurine
Snowflake Jade: A trade name given to tinted glass sold as Larimar. Real Snowflake Jade exists but is green, while the fake is more blue-green.
Transvaal Jade: A trade name given to a grossular, andradite, demantoid, or green hessonite garnet.
Jadine: A synonym given to chrysoprase
Bumblebee Jasper: A trade name given to calcite with pyrite and realgar inclusions, from Java, Indonesia.
Dalmatian Jasper: A trade name given to a cream white feldspar, with black arfvedsonite inclusions
Kambaba Jasper: A trade name given to rhyolite, a volcanic rock. A sedimentary stone made of fossilized algae (Stromatolites) creating black circular patterns with green centers in a mottled green matrix.
K2 Jasper: White granite containing small contrasting spheres of blue azurite, from Mount K2, Pakistan
Mariam Jasper: A trade name given to a brown jasper with fossil inclusions
Ocean Jasper: A trade name given to orbicular rhyolite
Dragon Blood Jasper: A trade name given to a rock composed of epidote and piemontite
Bloodstone Jasper: Synonym for heliotrope
Jaspilite: A trade name given to an association of red jasper with hematite; also designates a rock composed of quartz, hematite and red jasper, also called iron eye
Javaite: A synonym given to indochinite, a tektite from Java, Indonesia
Jenakite: A trade name given to a rock from Mauritania, composed of amphibole, anthophyllite and gedrite, also called nuummite
K
Kalaïte: An old name given to turquoise, also called Callaina
Kansas pop rocks: A synonym given to bojis
Kaurilite: A trade name given to amber from New Zealand
Kawakaka: A Maori name given to nephrite jade from New Zealand
Kayserite: A synonym given to a diaspore
L
Black Labradorite: A trade name given to larvikite
Chinese Larimar: A trade name given to blue aragonite
Lasionite: A synonym given to wavellite
Lasur: A synonym given to azurite or Lapis Lazuli.
Lavulite: A synonym given to sugilite
Lehrite: A trade name given to a sunstone, from Oregon, USA
Blue Liberite: A trade name given to rhyolite with blue quartz
Llanite: A trade name given to rhyolite with blue quartz inclusions, from Texas, USA
Lodestone: A synonym given to magnetite
Lodolite: A trade name given to quartz with indeterminate inclusions. Also called "Shamanic Dream Stone", "Shaman's Stone", "Dream Quartz"
M
Blue Malachite: An old synonym given to azurite
Malacholla: A trade name given to an association of malachite and chrysocolla
Rainbow Mayanite: A trade name given to quartz with an iridescent limonite and turgite deposit on the surface
Maxixe or Maxixe beryl: A synonym given to dark blue aquamarine from Brazil.
Melinose: A synonym given to wulfenite
Merlinite: A trade name given to dendritic agate or dendritic opal
Mizzonite: A synonym given to marialite, a variety of scapolite
White Moldavite: A trade name given to white calcite
Moqui©: Concretion of iron and sandstone.
N
Nebula stone: A trade name given to rhyolite, sometimes confused with kambaba jasper
New jade: A trade name given to bowenite, a variety of serpentine
Nunderite: A trade name given to a highly altered igneous rock, composed of albite, aegirine, nepheline and natrolite; often incorrectly identified as andalusite and epidote
O
Blue Obsidian: A trade name given to blue industrial glass
Cat's Eye: A name given to chatoyancy, originally on a chrysoberyl, then to all minerals exhibiting this chatoyancy; also refers to chatoyant fiberglass.
Marble Onyx: A trade name given to an association of calcite and aragonite
Green Onyx: Green chalcedony, a green cryptocrystalline variety of quartz
Bello Opal: A trade name given to a synthetic opal
Ceylon Opal: A trade name given to moonstone
Gilson Opal: A trade name given to an imitation opal
Monarch Opal: A trade name given to an imitation opal
Opalite: A trade name given to man-made glass, imitating opal or moonstone
Fool's Gold: An old name given to pyrite
Zirconium Oxide: A trade name given to a synthetic zircon
Opalite or Opaline: A trade name given to man-made glass, imitating opal or moonstone
P
Pakulite: A trade name given to rhyolite
Atlantis Stone: A trade name given to larimar, a massive blue pectolite
Cinnamon Stone: A synonym given to hessonite garnet
Changhua Stone: An old name given to a rock composed of cinnabar, quartz, kaolinite and dickite
Crocodile Stone: A trade name given to rhyolite, a volcanic rock also called kambaba jasper
Dragon Stone: A trade name given to a rock composed of epidote and piemontite
Eilat Stone: A trade name given to an association of blue-green copper minerals, malachite, azurite, turquoise and chrysocolla
Star Stone: A trade name given to a shimmering, blue industrial glass
Fairy Stone: A trade name given to a calcite concretion, from Quebec, Canada
Fire Stone: An old name given to pyrite
Rainbow Moonstone: A trade name given to peristerite
Orange Moonstone: A pearly or opalescent variety of Microcline exhibiting adularescence resulting from the diffraction of light between the mineral layers.
Infinity Stone: A mixture of Serpentine and Chrysotile with indistinct banded patterns.
Blood Stone: Synonym for heliotrope
"Chicken Blood" Stone: An old name given to a rock composed of cinnabar, quartz, kaolinite and dickite
Television Stone: A trade name given to ulexite (TV stone in English)
Storm Stone: A trade name given to pietersite
Plasma: A synonym given to green chalcedony, green jasper or coarse prasem, generally: green Quartz.
Red or Chromate Lead: A synonym given to crocoite
Pop rocks: A synonym given to bojis
Q
Quantum Quattro: A trade name given to an association of chrysocolla, shattuckite, malachite, dioptase and quartz, from Namibia
Apricot Quartz: A trade name given to quartz with red-orange amphibole inclusions
Alligator Quartz: A trade name given to a rock crystal or smoky quartz, where other small crystals have formed in parallel on the main crystal, showing numerous triangular faces
Pineapple Quartz: A trade name given to a rock crystal with a supercrystallization of brilliant micro-quartz on the crystal faces
Aqua Aura Quartz: A trade name given to quartz with iridescence, due to titanium, gold, etc. treatment
Harlequin Quartz: A trade name given to a hematoid quartz or a quartz with hematite inclusions
Aurora Quartz: A trade name given to quartz, showing iridescence due to a play of refraction and reflection of light in a crystallization defect
Siberian Blue Quartz: A trade name given to a synthetic blue quartz, manufactured in Russia
Blueberry Quartz: A trade name given to industrial glass with blue streaks
Cactus Quartz: A trade name given to a rock crystal with a supercrystallization of brilliant micro-quartz on the crystal faces
Cherry Quartz: A trade name given to industrial glass with red streaks
Shaman Quartz: A trade name given to a rock crystal with chlorite inclusions, also called lodolite
Cherry Quartz: A trade name given to industrial glass with red streaks
Angel Hair Quartz: A trade name given to quartz with rutile inclusions
Venus Hair Quartz: A trade name given to quartz with rutile inclusions
Tethys Hair Quartz: A trade name given to quartz with actinolite inclusions
Cracked Quartz: A trade name given to natural or synthetic quartz, artificially cracked by thermal treatment
Diamond Quartz: A trade name given to a double-terminated, stocky and brilliant rock crystal
Fairy Finger Quartz: A trade name given to a rock crystal with a supercrystallization of brilliant micro-quartz on the crystal faces
Witch Finger Quartz: A trade name given to quartz with hematite, muscovite and amphibole inclusions, from Zambia
Elestial Quartz: A trade name given to a rock crystal or smoky quartz, where other small crystals have formed in parallel on the main crystal, showing numerous triangular faces
Spirit Quartz: A trade name given to a rock crystal with a supercrystallization of brilliant micro-quartz on the crystal faces
Angel Phantom Quartz: A trade name given to quartz with amphibole inclusions
Lemurian Quartz: A trade name given to a raw rock crystal, showing growth striations perpendicular to the crystal axis
Shaman Dream Quartz: A trade name given to quartz with indeterminate inclusions
Tangerine Quartz: A trade name for a rock crystal with a brown-orange surface deposit, due to iron oxides
R
Regalite: A trade name given to a tinted rock, a tinted mineral or an industrial resin imitating a mineral, in different colors, often sold as beads
Iron Rose: A synonym given to a tabular hematite with an aggregate of rose-shaped crystals.
Inca Rose: A trade name given to rhodochrosite
Desert Rose: Former name given to a group of gypsum crystals with baryte, celestite, having more or less the shape of a rose
Adelaide Ruby: Trade name given to an almandine garnet from Australia
Alabanda Ruby: Trade name given to a garnet or red spinel
Bohemian Ruby: Former name given to an almandine garnet or pyrope garnet from Bohemia, Czech Republic
Brazilian Ruby: Former name given to a pink topaz
Hungarian Ruby: Former name given to an almandine garnet or pyrope garnet
Ural or Siberian Ruby: Trade name given to a pink:red tourmaline
S
Sandarac: Former name and synonym for realgar
Dragon's Blood: Trade name given to a rock composed of epidote and piemontite or cinnabar
Sanguine: Former name and synonym for hematite
Water Sapphire: Trade name given to cordierite
Ural Sapphire: Trade name given to a blue tourmaline
Sauralite: Trade name given to a milky rock crystal, from New Zealand
Shamanite: Trade name given to a black calcite
Shantilite: Trade name given to a grey agate, from Madagascar
Sonora Sunrise: Trade name given to an association of chrysocolla and cuprite, from Mexico and Arizona, United States
Spartalite: Synonym for zincite
Raspberry Spar: Synonym for rhodochrosite
Iceland Spar: Synonym for optical calcite
Satin Spar: Former name given to selenite or calcite
Spectrolite: Trade name given to labradorite with strong blue reflections, from Finland
Sphene: Synonym for titanite
Starlite: Trade name and synonym for a heated blue zircon
Sterlingite: Synonym for zincite
Super Seven: Trade name given to amethyst with goethite inclusions.
Synergite: Trade name given to amethyst with goethite inclusions
T
Tashmarine: Trade name given to a yellow:green diopside, colored by iron inclusions
Terraluminite: Trade name given to a pink:orange granite
Thunder Egg: Trade name given to nodules, similar to geodes, filled with chalcedony, agate, or opal and formed in rhyolites, volcanic rocks
Tiffany Stone: Trade name given to an association of massive purple fluorite and white opal
Smoky Topaz: Trade name given to smoky quartz
Madeira Topaz: Trade name given to citrine
Turquenite: Trade name given to howlite or magnesite dyed blue, imitating turquoise
African Turquoise: Trade name given to chrysocolla or jasper
U
Utahlite: Former name given to variscite
V
Verdite: Trade name given to a massive fuchsite with impurities, from South Africa
Darwin Glass: Name given to a variety of tektite, from Tasmania, Australia
Victorite: Synonym for enstatite and trade name given to an association of quartz, muscovite, and spinel, from Peru or India
Y
Yooperlite: Trade name given to a fluorescent syenite (magmatic rock) with sodalite inclusions, from Michigan, United States
Youngite: Trade name given to an association of brecciated jasper with microcrystalline chalcedony, from Wyoming, United States
Z
Cubic Zirconia or Zircon: Trade name given to synthetic zircon
What is a trade name for a stone?
A trade name is a designation used to sell a stone under a more attractive, sometimes misleading, name. It can refer to a genuine natural stone or an imitation.
How can I tell if a stone is natural or treated?
A trade name is a designation used to sell a stone under a more attractive, sometimes misleading, name. It can refer to a genuine natural stone or an imitation.
📌 H3: How to tell if a stone is real or fake?
To identify an authentic stone, you can:
✔️ Observe its texture and inclusions: Natural stones often have imperfections (bubbles, streaks, inclusions).
✔️ Test its hardness: Use the Mohs scale. For example, quartz scratches glass, while a resin imitation will be softer.
✔️ Check the temperature: A natural stone stays cold longer than plastic or glass.
✔️ Consult a specialist: If in doubt, have your stone examined by a gemologist.
Can I trust stones sold online?
Yes, but it's important to buy from trusted sellers, like Cybèle Pierres.
✔️ Check customer reviews and the store's reputation.
✔️ Read the product description carefully: a reputable seller always specifies whether the stone is natural or treated.
✔️ Favor stores that are transparent about the origin of the stones and offer responsive customer service if in doubt.
💡 Tip: If you're hesitant, research the characteristics of the stones you're looking for to better identify the differences between a natural stone and an imitation.
What is the difference between a crystal and a gemstone?
Crystals are minerals with an ordered atomic structure. A gemstone is a rare, beautiful, and durable crystal (e.g., diamond, ruby, sapphire, emerald).
How to avoid buying an imitation?
✔️ Always ask for a certification.
✔️ Avoid excessively low prices.
✔️ Research the true characteristics of the stone before buying.
Which free app can identify stones?
There are several apps that can identify stones from a photo:
📱 Rock Identifier: One of the most popular for identifying minerals.
📱 Gemius: App dedicated to precious and semi-precious stones.
📱 Minerals Guide: Comprehensive database for mineralogy enthusiasts.
📌 Tip: App identification remains approximate; it's always best to consult an expert.
How to get a stone identified?
✔️ Go to a jewelry store or gemology laboratory: Some jewelers and experts can authenticate a stone with the naked eye or with an advanced test.
✔️ Perform a density and refraction test: Certain stones have a unique density that allows them to be differentiated.
✔️ Use a gemological loupe: Observing inclusions and crystalline structure can aid in identification.
✔️ Consult a mineralogist at mineral fairs: Many events dedicated to stones have experts present to identify your minerals.
How to recognize a real natural stone bracelet?
✔️ Temperature: Real stone beads remain cold to the touch.
✔️ Weight: A real stone bracelet is heavier than a plastic or colored glass bracelet.
✔️ Appearance: Real stones have natural variations (streaks, inclusions), unlike uniform imitations.
Is there a stone identification chart?
Yes, charts exist to classify stones by their hardness, color, and physical properties. Some are available on specialized gemology and mineralogy websites.
How to recognize a real tiger's eye stone?
✔️ Chatoyant effect: A real tiger's eye stone has a luminous reflection that moves with the angle of light.
✔️ Natural colors: Variations of brown, gold, and copper.
✔️ Texture: Smooth, with natural banded patterns.
