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Where Do Gemstones Come From?

Karen Berby

Updated: Mar 27, 2024



Since all of my handcrafted jewelry incorporates gemstones, I wanted to share some history on where they come from and how gemstones are formed.


Loved and appreciated by mankind for centuries, gemstones are valued for their rarity, durability, and aesthetic appeal. Because of their colorful attributes, intricacy, and unique beauty, they are used in jewelry and other adornments.


Natural Gemstone Formation Origins


Typically, gemstones are formed by various types of mineral element combinations that occur naturally within the Earth’s surface. They harden and crystallize over time while also being affected by other geological processes.


Additionally, some gemstones develop from naturally-occurring materials. For example, pearls form and develop inside mollusk shells.


Once gemstones have hardened into solid materials they can be cut and polished for use in jewelry and an array of other decorative items.


Four Common Gemstone Processes


Most often gemstones form and develop as minerals within one of the following four processes:



  • Igneous - involves the solidification of magma. Magma rises from the mantle to the crust usually through volcanic pipes. If it reaches the earths surface it solidifies as lava (extrusive), and has no minerals. However, if the magma melts and cools in the crust (intrusive), it can crystalize, grow and form minerals. Minerals are the natural chemical compounds that crystalize under certain geological environments and conditions that form into gemstones and crystals. Note - all of the gemstones that form through the igneous process form in the crust layer in the magma, with the exception of diamonds and peridot. They develop deeper within the mantle layer.


  • Metamorphic - they form when rocks are subjected to high heat, high pressure, and hot minerals-rich fluids combinations far beneath the earth’s surface. Gemstone are usually formed when minerals are forced together under great pressure and heat usually by tectonic plates moving underneath each other. The minerals are forced together and they metamorphose into different minerals and crystallize slowly from the hot fluids and gases until they have cooled. This process creates gemstones such as topaz, tourmaline, sapphire, ruby, emerald, and aquamarine. 


  • Sedimentary - water mixes with minerals on the Earth’s surface. The mineral rich water then seeps down between cracks in the Earth and deposits layers of minerals. Over time they are compressed and form gemstones. This process results in gemstones such as azurite and malachite.


  • Organic - derived from living or once-living organisms, they are a by-product of natural biological processes. Examples include pearls that are formed by a mollusk or coral and amber that are formed from fossilized resin exuded from tree bark. (A side note - amber takes over 40,000 years to form!)


There are also gemstones know as synthetic gemstones. These are man-made gemstones created in a lab. These include Cubic Zirconia, and also many other natural gemstones that are now duplicated in a lab, such as emeralds, turquoise, garnets and many more.


In conclusion, natural gemstones are minerals, crystals, rocks, or organic material that, when cut and polished, become the ornaments used to design beautiful jewelry and other adornments.


Reach out and share your thoughts with me on what you might like to see more of on my site. 

I’d love to hear from you. Thank you.


Next up, I will dive into individual gemstones and explore their unique characteristics, geological origins from around the world, and also the various spiritual and cosmic meanings/references that are often attached to them.


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