Gemstone Identifier — Identify Any Gem
Found a stone and not sure what it is? Upload a photo and our gemstone identifier names the most likely gem in seconds, tells you how confident it is, and shows you the properties to confirm it. When it isn't sure, it says so.
How to get an accurate gem ID
- • Use bright, natural daylight — gem color shifts badly under warm indoor bulbs.
- • Show the cut and facets; for transparent stones a side angle reveals clarity and any inclusions.
- • Turn the stone — some gems (like iolite or tanzanite) flash different colors at different angles.
- • Shoot dry against a plain, neutral background, filling the frame with the single stone.
Gems our identifier recognizes
From cut stones to rough crystals — including turquoise, aquamarine, opal, garnet, topaz, jade, peridot and lapis lazuli. Each links to an in-depth field-guide page with properties, look-alikes and how to spot fakes.
How to confirm a gemstone yourself
A photo gets you close; these checks narrow it down:
- Hardness: most popular gems are 7+ on the Mohs scale and will scratch glass; softer stones (opal, turquoise, fluorite) will not. Test on an inconspicuous spot.
- Double refraction: view a facet edge through the table — if the back facets look doubled, the stone is doubly refractive (e.g. peridot, zircon), which rules out singly-refractive gems like garnet or spinel.
- Heft: denser gems feel heavier than a same-size glass or plastic stone.
- Inclusions & bubbles: a loupe reveals natural inclusions in real gems; perfectly round bubbles mean glass.
For a definitive call — especially natural vs. lab-grown — a gemologist's refractometer and microscope are the gold standard.
Want the full step-by-step method? Read our guide to identifying gemstones. And if you're sizing up a colorless sparkler, the moissanite vs diamond comparison walks through the classic tells.
Frequently asked questions
Can you identify a gemstone from a photo?
For many gems, yes — color, transparency, cut and the way a stone returns light are strong clues for stones like amethyst, citrine, garnet, turquoise or aquamarine. But several gems look near-identical in a photo, so we give a confidence score, list look-alikes, and show you the tests that settle it.
How do I tell a real gemstone from glass or a synthetic?
Glass imitations are softer (they scratch easily), often warmer to the touch, and frequently contain rounded gas bubbles. Lab-grown gems are chemically identical to natural ones and usually need a gemologist to separate. Natural stones often show tiny inclusions, color zoning, or slight facet wear; a flawless, cheap 'gem' is a red flag.
What's the difference between a gemstone and a crystal?
A gemstone is simply a mineral (or occasionally an organic material like amber) that's been cut and polished for jewelry because it's attractive and durable. Many gems are the gem-quality, faceted form of a crystal — aquamarine is gem beryl, amethyst is gem quartz. Our identifier handles raw and cut stones alike.
Can it tell me what my gemstone is worth?
No — and be cautious of any tool that claims to. Value depends on carat, cut, clarity, color grade and treatment, which a photo can't measure reliably. Use the ID as a starting point and get a qualified gemologist or appraiser for value.
Is the gemstone identifier free?
Yes — your first 3 identifications are free. Pro covers 100 identifications a day (600 a month), plus value, authenticity and care reports.
Not a polished gem? Try the crystal identifier or the mineral identifier