Colors
Characteristically Blue with violet tinge, lighter specimens are almost lavender
Traditional Cuts
Usually Oval cut, Step Cut also used
Place of Origin
Discovered in Tanzania in 1967Rarity/ExclusivityLimited Quantities, found exclusively in Tanzania

Colors
Red, Pink, Orange, White
Traditional Cuts
Various Cuts, Beads very common
Place of Origin
Banks of coral are found in the Mediterranean, along the coasts of China, Vietnam, and Japan, near the Philippines and and along parts of the African coastline
Rarity/Exclusivity
Red: Common; Pink and White: Less Common

Colors
Purple, Green
Traditional Cuts
Oval and drop mixed cuts, step cuts
Place of Origin
Brazil, Uruguay, US, Madagascar, Russia, India, Australia, South Africa
Rarity/Exclusivity
Very Common

Colors
Sheer, Bright green
Traditional Cuts
Cabochon, Rounded
Place of Origin
Germany, Russia, US, Canada, Brazil, Uruguay
Rarity/Exclusivity
Common

Colors
Gray, light to dark blue, or violet
Traditional Cuts
Rectangular, step cut, or cabochon
Place of Origin
Germany (Bavaria), Norway, Finland, Brazil, Madagascar

Colors
purple, orange, blue, pink, white, blue, yellow
Traditional Cuts
Oval, round, or rectangular or step cuts
Place of Origin
Kashmir, Burma, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Cambodia, Australia, US, Tanzania, Malawi
Rarity/Exclusivity
Common

Colors
green, red, orange, Tsvorite, Madarin
Traditional Cuts
Cabochon, Rose, Rectangular

Colors
green, red, orange, Tsvorite, Madarin
Traditional Cuts
Various Cuts
Place of Origin
Sri Lanka, Russia, Afghanistan, Burma, US (California, Maine, Connecticut), Brazil, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Nambia

Colors
blue, green
Traditional Cuts
Rectangular
Place of Origin
Brazil, US (maine), Tanzania, Mozambique, Nambia
Rarity/Exclusivity
Plentiful and Widespread

Colors
Red
Traditional Cuts
Round or Oval
Place of Origin
Burma, Thailand
Rarity/Exclusivity
Semi- Rare

Colors
Ranges from light to dark green
Traditional Cuts
step or trap cut- also known as emerald cut
Place of Origin
Columbia, Brazil, with small deposits in Zimbabwe, Zambia and Tanzania
Rarity/Exclusivity
Semi- Rare

Colors
Grey, chocolate, peach, white
Traditional Cuts
cabochon and round
Place of Origin
Sri Lanka, Burma, India, Australia, Madagascar, Tanzania, the US and Brazil
Rarity/Exclusivity
Very Common

Colors
striking color stratification from bright to dark green
Traditional Cuts
various cuts
Place of Origin
Chile, the US, Zaire, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Russia and Australia
Rarity/Exclusivity
Very Common

Colors
Deep Blue opaque with fairly distinct crystallizations
Traditional Cuts
various cuts
Place of Origin
Afghanistan, Chile
Rarity/Exclusivity
Limited Quantities

Colors
white with various shades of iridescence
Traditional Cuts
Round, Oval, Cabochon and Various
Place of Origin
Czechoslovakia, Australia
Rarity/Exclusivity
Somewhat common

Colors
milky to creamy white
Traditional Cuts
Round, Oval, Cabochon and Various
Place of Origin
Russia and Bulgaria
Rarity/Exclusivity
Rare

Colors
Soft, opaque pink
Traditional Cuts
Various
Place of Origin
Peru
Rarity/Exclusivity
Rare

Colors
peach with iridescence
Traditional Cuts
Various

Colors
Yellow to Orange or Brilliant Scarlet
Traditional Cuts
Both Cabochons and faceted
Place of Origin
Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras and the US
Rarity/Exclusivity
Common

Colors
Clear to pale blue to very light yellow orange
Traditional Cuts
Mostly Cabochons, clear stones cut into facets
Place of Origin
Mexico
Rarity/Exclusivity
Rare

Colors
whitish to light gray, dull yellow, light blue-gray, or pale- blue ground color- with vast range of color patches, due to diffraction
Traditional Cuts
Most often cut into convex cabochons, sometimes cut flat
Place of Origin
Australia, Czechoslovakia, Mexico, smaller quantities found in the US, Brazil, Japan and Indonesia
Rarity/Exclusivity
Precious

Colors
Bluish gray, smoke gray to black
Traditional Cuts
Cabochons
Place of Origin
Australia, small quantities from Indonesia
Rarity/Exclusivity
Precious

Colors
light brown- from being embedded in ironstone boulders. Opal forms as thin veins within the boulders
Traditional Cuts
Free Form or Irregular shapes
Place of Origin
Australia
Rarity/Exclusivity
Precious

Colors
Various
Traditional Cuts
Mostly flat and irregular, Various
Place of Origin
Varies- depending on the stone
Rarity/Exclusivity
Varies- depending on the stone

Colors
Various colors, except Red
Traditional Cuts
Flat and/or round shapes-slightly faceted
Place of Origin
Australia, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Madagascar, East Africa and US- Montana
Rarity/Exclusivity
Common

Colors
Various with many inclusions
Traditional Cuts
Flat and/or slightly faceted
Rarity/Exclusivity
Common

Colors
White, Navy, Black
Traditional Cuts
Flat, slightly faceted
Place of Origin
China and Thaiti (Freshwater) Japan, Australia, China, Indonesia, Myanmar, Philippines, Thaiti, Bahrain, India and Mexico
Rarity/Exclusivity
Common

Colors
range of hues from all spectrums of Blue to Violet
Traditional Cuts
Flat, slightly faceted
Place of Origin
Tanzania
Rarity/Exclusivity
Limited Quantities, found exclusively in Tanzania

Colors
rose, citrine, smokey, lemon, rutilated
Traditional Cuts
Various
Place of Origin
French Alps, Swiss Alps, US, Brazil and Madagascar
Rarity/Exclusivity
Common

Colors
white, blue, sky, smokey, brown, imperial
Traditional Cuts
Various
Place of Origin
Brazil, Mexico, US, Sri Lanka, Japan, Siberia, Nigeria, Zaire
Rarity/Exclusivity
Common

Colors
Olive Green
Traditional Cuts
Emerald, Round, Oval, Cushion
Place of Origin
Island of Zebirget, US (Arizona), Hawaiian Islands, Burma and Brazil
Rarity/Exclusivity
Common

Colors
purple, blue, green
Traditional Cuts
Cabochon, Cameos, round, seal stones
Place of Origin
Uruguay, Brazil, Germany, Russia, US, Canada
Rarity/Exclusivity
Very Common

Colors
black, yellow, white, pink
Traditional Cuts
Round and in beaded patterns
Place of Origin
Cultured in Indian and Pacific Oceans; Australia, the Philippines, Indonesia and Myanmar
Rarity/Exclusivity
Precious

Colors
Black with under/over tones of green, pink, blue, silver and yellow
Traditional Cuts
Round, Semi-Round, Button, Circle, Oval, Teardrop, Baroque and Semi-Baroque
Place of Origin
French Polynesia- mainly Tahiti
Rarity/Exclusivity
Rare

Colors
White and off White
Traditional Cuts
Round
Place of Origin
Broome- Kimberley Region of North West Australia
Rarity/Exclusivity
Common

Colors
Lavender, White, Peach, Black
Traditional Cuts
Round
Place of Origin
China, Japan and US
Rarity/Exclusivity
Rare

Colors
Iridescent Green and Blue, Multiple Colors
Traditional Cuts
Various
Place of Origin
Australia, US, New Zealand, South Africa, UK Channel Islands
Rarity/Exclusivity
Very Common

Colors
blue, white, green
Traditional Cuts
Cabochons, Various shapes
Place of Origin
Iran, US- (Nevada, Arizona, California, New Mexico)
Rarity/Exclusivity
Common

Colors
Brown, Black, Beige, Cream, Tan, White, Off-White
Traditional Cuts
Round, Oval, Cabochon and Various
Place of Origin
Various sources
Rarity/Exclusivity
Common

Colors
yellow, red, blue, black, cognac, brown, milky, grey, white, green
Traditional Cuts
Round, Emerald, Princess, Pear, Marquis, Heart, Asscher, Rose, Oval, Cushion
Place of Origin
Botswana, Russia, Australia, Zaire, South Africa
Rarity/Exclusivity
Precious

Colors
white to pale green hue
Traditional Cuts
beads

Colors
green, white, lavender, black, brown
Traditional Cuts
Various
Place of Origin
Burma, Japan, US (California), Guatemala
Rarity/Exclusivity
Varies

Colors
Cream, Blue, Black, Mother-of-Pearl, Coral, Green
Traditional Cuts
Mostly round and Oval
Place of Origin
Italy, France, England and US
Rarity/Exclusivity
Varies by piece

Colors
Transparent Yellow, Honey, or Brown
Traditional Cuts
Round, Square, Beads, Various
Place of Origin
Poland, Russia, Burma, Dominican Republic
Rarity/Exclusivity
Common

Colors
Cream to Yellowish-white
Traditional Cuts
Various
Place of Origin
Cameroon, Gabon, Zaire, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Angola, Tanzania, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, India, Thailand and Burma
Rarity/Exclusivity
Precious

Colors
Off-White, Red, Brown, Yellow, Black
Traditional Cuts
Beads, Cabochons
Rarity/Exclusivity
Very Common

Colors
Green to Green Gray
Traditional Cuts
Round, Beads
Place of Origin
Sri Lanka, Germany (Bavaria), Burma
Rarity/Exclusivity
Common

Colors
Dark Gray with rainbow colored reflections (Labradoresence)
Traditional Cuts
Cabochons, Flat or Carvings
Place of Origin
Canada, Finland
Rarity/Exclusivity
UnCommon

Colors
Pale green to Blue green; semiopaque
Traditional Cuts
Cabochon, Round, Teardrop
Place of Origin
Brazil, US, Madagascar, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Australia, Russia
Rarity/Exclusivity
Common

Colors
Green
Traditional Cuts
Flat, Rectangular, Square, Round
Place of Origin
Northern Europe, North America, South America, Himalayan Asia, and in Colombia
Rarity/Exclusivity
Common