Origins of gemstones

Origin is the geographic source of a gemstone as stated by a laboratory in its report. It describes where the stone grew – not where it was cut or traded. For many buyers it is part of a stone’s story; some origins have become benchmarks over centuries.

Sapphire

• Sri Lanka (Ceylon), Myanmar (Burma) and Kashmir – the classic sources
• Madagascar and Tanzania – important since the 1990s
• Thailand, Cambodia, Australia, Nigeria, Ethiopia – sapphires from basalt regions
• Montana (USA) – Yogo sapphires

Ruby

• Myanmar (Burma), above all Mogok – the historic benchmark
• Mozambique (Montepuez) – the most productive source since 2009
• Thailand and Cambodia, Afghanistan, Tanzania, Madagascar, Vietnam, Greenland

Emerald

• Colombia (Muzo, Chivor, Coscuez)
• Zambia (Kafubu, Kagem) – largest production
• Brazil, Afghanistan (Panjshir), Ethiopia, Madagascar, Pakistan, Russia (Urals)

Paraíba tourmaline

• Brazil – discovered 1989
• Nigeria and Mozambique – since the early 2000s
• Ethiopia – confirmed by GIA and Gübelin as the fourth source in August 2026

Alexandrite

• Russia (Urals) – type locality and namesake
• Brazil (Hematita), Sri Lanka, India, Tanzania, Madagascar

Diamond, colourless and coloured

• Historically India (Golconda), from the 18th century Brazil, from 1867 South Africa
• Today mainly Botswana, Russia, Canada, South Africa, Angola, Namibia
• Pink and red diamonds almost exclusively from Argyle (Australia) until its closure in 2020

In every NOBILITH dossier the origin appears exactly as recorded by the laboratory. The collection, the Private Market and the gemstone search can be filtered by gemstone type and origin.