Gemstone Motifs

There is in them a softer fire than the ruby, there is the brilliant purple of the amethyst, and the sea green of the emerald — all shining together in incredible union. Some by their splendour rival the colours of the painters, others the flame of burning sulphur or of fire quickened by oil.

— Pliny the Elder

Sometimes, gemstones aren't just a way to make something look prettier. Sometimes the gemstones mean something. And when a character has a favorite gem, or is frequently linked to a gem, or is named after a gem, that can often say quite a bit about their personality. In some stories, some gems have magical powers.

Dating to as far back as the Stone Age (no pun intended), gemstones have been ascribed spiritual symbolism in cultures all over the world. For example, in ancient Hinduism, it was believed by some that those who offered fine rubies to the god Krishna could be reborn as emperors. In medieval European cultures, rubies were thought to guarantee good health, wealth, wisdom, and success in love. Sapphires were prized by early Christians as symbols of divinity and truth, and amethysts were believed by the ancient Greeks to be capable of balancing troublesome thoughts and relieving hangovers.

In Western cultures, certain gemstones are commonly used in crystal healing, where practitioners believe they can boost low energy, prevent bad energy, release blocked energy, and transform a body's aura.

Can sometimes overlap with Elemental Motifs, as gemstones are frequently assigned elemental connotations in fiction.^note Rubies=fire; aquamarines=water; etc May also overlap with Rock Theme Naming, where a character named after a gemstone or mineral has symbolic association with their namesake gem. Can also be tied into birthstones and the Western Zodiac, as each Zodiac sign is ascribed a gemstone. Compare with Flower Motifs, as well as Metallic Motifs, especially if the gem is part of a Ring of Power or other Mineral MacGuffin. See also Mystical Jade, which has its own motif page.

Examples:

Anime & Manga

• The Case Files of Jeweler Richard is basically made up of gemstone motifs. Each case is about the meaning of gemstones and each major character has at least one gemstone associated with them and their meaning:
  • Seigi is pink sapphire and "justice for the weak" which is carried through even in his name, which means "justice" in Japanese, and Tanzanite from the "Tanzanite of Rebirth" case.
  • Richard is white sapphire, for insight and clarity, which he gives to Seigi often.
  • Jeffrey, the mysterious cousin of Richard who never seems to let anyone know his true self and indeed has more than one, is alexandrite, the color-changing gemstone.

Comic Books

• Amethyst, Princess of Gemworld: The setting, Gemworld, is ruled by 12 kingdoms represented by gemstones, each having values and colors linked with each gem. The main character is named after amethyst, wears purple, and comes from the Amethyst kingdom, as part with royalty.
• X-Men: Emma Frost has the ability to transform her skin to diamond. Her character is often likened to that of a diamond, being beautiful yet sharp and cold. In Emma Frost (2003), while training Emma in use of her telepathy, Astrid suggests thinking up an image for her to focus on. Emma picks a diamond.

Films — Animation

• The Aristocats: Duchess is described as having "eyes like sapphires" by her love interest Thomas O'Malley. Sapphires are frequently associated with beauty, wisdom, and nobility, as well as being capable of calming intense emotions. Duchess spends a fair amount of the time in the film comforting and reassuring her three young children, all while maintaining her graceful nature.
• Barbie movies:
  • Barbie & The Diamond Castle: Liana and Alexa are frequently associated with diamonds, and even wear necklaces made with stones from the titular castle. Diamonds were believed by the ancient Greeks to be able to make a person invincible from harm, and the stones Liana and Alexa wear make them immune to Lydia's brainwashing music.
  • The Guardian Fairies in the Barbie Fairytopia films are named after gemstones, and the ones we see have personalities that line up with aspects of gem mythos.
    • Azura (named after azurite) is calm and level-headed, and serves as a loving mentor to the protagonist Elina. Azurite is also believed to be able to restore and maintain balance, as well as being a symbol of Athena, Greek goddess of wisdom, and Azura is shown to be a very capable and wise individual.
    • Topaz is joyful, patient, and empathetic, and is shown to be completely loyal to the Enchantress. Topazes have been known to represent feelings of love and joy, and are believed to be capable of promoting healthy communication and loyalty.
    • Ruby, while we don't see much of him, has a personality that's very much in line with his namesake. Rubies are commonly associated with protection and devotion, and one of Ruby's defining moments in the franchise is when he mouths off to Laverna and declares she'll never succeed in her schemes, later trying to stand up from his imprisoned seat to defend the Enchantress.
  • Barbie: The Pearl Princess: Lumina is heavily associated with pearls, and even has the ability to make pearls glow. Pearls are frequently associated with inner strength, love, and new beginnings, as well as having a heavy association with water.
  • Barbie in the 12 Dancing Princesses: The titular twelve sisters each have a favorite gemstone that they are associated with.
    • Ashlyn: Garnet^note Love, courage, passion
    • Blair: Ruby^note Royalty, protection, friendship; matches her red dress
    • Courtney: Sapphire^note Wisdom, intelligence, good fortune; matches her blue dress
    • Delia: Peridot^note Strength, willpower, responsibility; matches her green dress
    • Edeline: Citrine^note Optimism, creativity; matches her orange dress
    • Fallon: Pearl^note Purity, patience, love
    • Genevieve: Pink opal^note Love, gentleness, healing; matches her pink dress
    • Hadley: Topaz^note Prosperity
    • Isla: Emerald^note Endurance, growth
    • Janessa: Aquamarine^note Creativity, confidence; matches her blue dress
    • Kathleen: Pink diamond^note Compassion, femininity
    • Lacey: Amethyst^note Positivity, peace; matches her purple dress
  • Barbie: Princess Charm School:' The fancy ball gowns that Blair and her friends wear have a very strong gemstone aesthetic, with the bodices being designed to appear as if they were cut from large jewels.
• Kung Fu Panda 3: Kai is frequently associated with jade, using jade to make both knives and "jombies" in the forms of dead kung fu masters. Thematically, this further emphasizes his blasphemous nature, as in Chinese culture, jade is a sacred material and should never be used in combat.

Films — Live-Action

• Cruella: Estella/Cruella's pendant necklace has a black opal at its center, with several rows of diamonds surrounding it. Black opals are sometimes associated with misfortune, which fits the once-idealistic Estella's descend into villainy. The diamonds could also be seen as a representation of Estella's desire for wealth and fame. Diamonds are heavily featured throughout the film, particularly as part of the Baroness' fashion lines.
• Moulin Rouge!: Satine is strongly associated with diamonds for two reasons: she's the beautiful crown jewel of the Moulin Rouge's courtesans and needs financial wealth in order to have a good life (since her good looks won't pay the bills forever). She gets a musical number, fittingly titled "Sparkling Diamonds" that mashes up songs about diamonds and money.
• Titanic (1997): A recurring motif for Rose is a blue diamond, represented by the Heart of the Ocean necklace her fiance Cal gifts her. Cal probably chose it because it's rare, expensive and linked with royalty ("It's for royalty. We are royalty, Rose"), though blue diamonds are also associated with mental clarity and strength, which Rose gains over the film. Blue diamonds are also sometimes associated with trust and loyalty / devotion, which are both qualities present in her relationship with Jack (not Cal).
• Troy: While not a "stone", Achilles is associated with seashells (which have been polished and used as adornment for many thousands of years). His mother Thetis is shown gathering shells to make him a necklace, which she frequently did when he was growing up. Achilles later comes to love the captured Trojan priestess Briseis ("You gave me peace in a lifetime of war."), and gifts her his necklace, which she wears as she flees the falling city.

Literature

• Deltora Quest: Each of the seven tribes of Deltora is represented by a magical gemstone, which make up the Belt of Deltora; when worn by Deltora's rightful ruler the Belt protects the land from evil. The gems also have powers and symbolic meanings linked to attributes valued by each tribe, all of which the ruler of Deltora should strive for as well. The gems include a diamond, emerald, lapis lazuli, topaz, opal, ruby and amythest.
  • The diamond, symbol of the Jalis, represents strength and purity.
  • The emerald, symbol of the Dread Gnomes, represents honor.
  • The lapis lazuli, symbol of the Mere, represents fortune.
  • The topaz, symbol of Del, represents faithfulness.
  • The opal, symbol of the Plains people, represents hope.
  • The ruby, symbol of the Ralad, represents happiness.
  • The amethyst, symbol of Tora, represents truth.
• Finding the Green Stone: In this children's book by Alice Walker, each member of the the community possesses a green stone who's appearance reflects the owners emotional state. A loss of love or expression of negativity causes the stone to lose its sheen, or disappear altogether.
• Geronimo Stilton: In the Kingdom of Fantasy series, the seven central kingdoms in the Kingdom of Fantasy each have a signature gemstone linked to them, and said gemstones each form a magical door that allows for passage between the realms.
  • Kingdom of the Witches: Ruby
  • Kingdom of the Mermaids: Topaz
  • Kingdom of the Dragons: Citrine
  • Kingdom of the Pixies: Emerald
  • Kingdom of the Gnomes: Sapphire
  • Kingdom of the Giants: Amethyst
  • Kingdom of the Fairies: Diamond
• Harry Potter:
  • The giant hourglasses that record house points at Hogwarts are filled with color-coded gems: rubies for Gryffindor, emeralds for Slytherin, sapphires for Ravenclaw, and (according to J. K. Rowling) yellow diamonds for Hufflepuff.
    • These gems are also featured in relics associated with the houses' founders; Gryffindor's sword is inlaid with rubies, while Slytherin's locket has emeralds.
  • Madame Maxime, headmistress of Beauxbatons Academy of Magic, regularly wears numerous opals at her throat and on her fingers.
• The Hunger Games: Katniss Everdeen has a loose pearl motif attached to her.
  • Following their stellar entrance into the 74th Hunger Games, Effie Trinket praises Katniss and Peeta's performance with a well-intentioned but ill-informed and somewhat condescending compliment: "If you put enough pressure on coal, it turns into pearls!"
  • When Katniss is pressured into marrying Peeta to give the rebellious districts something else to focus on, her wedding dress is heavily decorated with pearls.
  • On their last night in the arena of the 75th Hunger Games, Peeta finds a pearl inside an oyster, gives it to Katniss as a gift and restates Effie's quote. Throughout Peet's captivity in Mockingjay, Katniss often handles/protects the pearl to alleviate her anxiety.
• The Lord of the Rings: One of Aragorn's many names is Elessar - "elfstone." This was a name foretold for him, a name given to him by the people of Gondor for the heirloom green stone he wore, and the name he took as king.
• Pearl: This late 14th century poem features a father mourning the loss of his young daughter, calling her his "pearl without a spot." Pearls are said to represent wisdom and purity, which is reflected in the poem when the father is comforted by his late daughter in a dream, and sees that she has become a pure angel in heaven, and answers his worries with Christian doctrine.
  Pearl, to delight a prince's day,
  Flawlessly set in gold so fair
  In all the East, I dare to say,
  I have not found one to compare.
  So round, so radiant in array,
  So small, so smooth her contours were,
  Wherever I judged jewels gay
  I set her worth as truly rare.
  I lost her in a garden where
  Through grass she fell to earthen plot;
  Wounded by love beyond repair
  I mourn that pearl without a spot.
• The Stormlight Archive has these In-Universe, with the ten Polestones (ten precious stones) each having an essence, an attribute, and an Order of Knights Radiant attached to it.
• The Seven Wise Princesses: When the shah of Persia pays calls on the foreign princesses visiting his realm - each of whom is residing in a color-coded pavilion corresponding to one of the heavenly bodies - he always coordinates his apparel, including jewelry. The princesses themselves also don jewels to match their residences.
  • Amber: Worn at the yellow Pavillion of the Sun
  • Jade: Worn at the green Pavillion of the Moon
  • Garnet & Ruby: Worn at the red Pavillion of Mars
  • Sapphire: Worn at the blue Pavillion of Mercury
  • Tiger-eye: Worn at the sandalwood (brown) Pavillion of Jupiter
  • Diamond: Worn at the white Pavillion of Venus

Live-Action TV

• Bridgerton: During her presentation to the Queen, Daphne Bridgerton makes such a good impression that she is immediately considered the season's Incomparable (the season's most beautiful and promising young lady) and called a "diamond of the first water"^note "first water" is a statement of the diamond's clarity and purity for her beauty and elegance. The next year, the Queen refers back to this descriptor when deciding which young lady should be declared the Incomparable, and calls her choice Edwina the diamond of the season.
• Shadow and Bone: According to David it's a joke among Durasts that a person's favorite gemstone says a lot about them. Genya says she likes emeralds, and balks when she realizes they're associated with the royal family, her abusers. She decides to like rubies instead.
  David: Gemstone fact, a ruby is stronger than an emerald.

Myths & Religion

• Aztecs, Maya, Navajo, and many other Indigenous American cultures greatly valued turquoise, associated with fire and light. One Navajo creation myth says the sun rides on a snail shell made of turquoise. In Aztec myth, the sun god Huitzilopochtli is depicted as bright turquoise.
• The Bible: Aaron's breastplate (mentioned in Exodus 28: 15-20 and 39:10-13) was described as being adorned with multiple gemstones, each one assigned their own divine symbolism as well as being representative of the Twelve Tribes of Israel. This is where the idea of birthstones first originated from, and although there is no universal agreement on what the gems in the Breastplate actually were, most comprehensive studies have yielded strong suggestions.
  • 1st row: carnelian (Protection from evil), peridot (Purity), and emerald (Preservation, immortality, incorruptibility).
  • 2nd row: garnet (Passion, eternity), lapis lazuli (Divinity), and quartz (Holiness).
  • 3rd row: yellow zircon (Guidance, grounding), banded agate (Longevity, good health, wealth), and amethyst (Sobriety, love).
  • 4th row: citrine (Growth, new life), onyx (Marital happiness), and green jasper (Courage, wisdom).
• Buddhism: The Buddha’s throne was made of diamonds, because the precious stone was a symbol of perfection and, because of translucence and brightness, of enlightenment. Tantric Buddhists had a word, vajra, which refers to both the thunderbolt and the diamond as symbols of enduring and powerful spiritual forces.
• Classical Mythology: Most of the Greek gods also had close associations with certain gemstones, which were seen as representations of their divine natures. There was also Theia, one of the 12 Titans, who was believed to be the one who who gave gold, silver and gems their shining brilliance and is therefore also referred to as the goddess of gold, silver and gems.
• Egyptian Mythology: Many gods, most notably Ra, are associated with lapis lazuli, making their hair. This stone was highly precious and emblematic of power and immortality; nothing short of the gods themselves should be associated with it.
• Mesopotamian Mythology: The goddess Ishtar (Innana to the Sumerians) is often described as wearing jewelry or carrying items made of lapis lazuli. This dark blue stone, often flecked with golden pyrite, resembles the starry sky and reflects her role as queen of the heavens.

Tabletop Games

• Dungeons & Dragons: Most dragons have a preference for a particular type of gemstone or crystal, which they keep vast quantities of in their hoards. There is also a family of gem dragons^note Amethyst, sapphire, crystal, emerald, and topaz who possess incredible psionic powers and tend to favor their namesake gems.
  • Chromatic dragons:
    • Black: Opals
    • Blue: Sapphires or other similarly colored stones
    • Red: Rubies and fire opals
    • Green: Emeralds, beryls, and amber
    • White: Diamonds, moonstones, quartz
  • Metallic dragons:
    • Brass: Yellow, brown, and orange gemstones
    • Bronze: Pearls
    • Copper: Partial to all gemstones
    • Gold: Pearls
    • Silver: Diamonds, turquoise, malachite, and sapphires

Theatre

• Moulin Rouge!: Satine is called the Moulin Rouge's Sparkling Diamond for her beauty and elegance even among her fellow courtesans. She also sings about diamonds in a "material wealth" way in her number "The Sparkling Diamond", a mashup of songs about diamonds and money.
  Satine: Diamonds are forever and ever and ever...
  A kiss on the hand may be quite continental
  But diamonds are a girl's best friend
• Many characters in William Shakespeare's plays are likened to various gemstones:
  • Troilus and Cressida: Helen of Troy is described by Paris as a pearl at several points, particularly the line "Is she worth keeping? Why, she is a pearl whose price hath launched above a thousand ships, and turned crowned kings to merchants." The comparison to a pearl is used not only to symbolise Helen's beauty, but Shakespeare is also playing with ideas of the material worth of women and their value as an object, giving the line an added bit of sarcasm.
  • Twelfth Night: Feste compares Duke Orsino's ficklemindedness to an opal, which is in reference to how the color of an opal's sheen can change at random depending on the light.

Video Games

• League of Legends: Taric used to be called "the Gem Knight" in his original release, being an armored warrior decorated in (very low-fidelity) jewels. His full relaunch in 2016 reiterated the gem motif into a broader aesthetic, turning him into a fabulous All-Loving Hero who sees the beauty in everything around him, also now having a series of gems that float around and extend his magic abilites.
• Pokémon:
  • Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire introduces the Pokémon Sableye, a creature with gemstones embedded on its chest, back, and where eyes would be. Similar to how gems are found deep in mines, it is nocturnal and resides deep in caves.
  • The Sinnoh games attach diamond and pearl motifs to its major legendary Pokémon. Pokémon Diamond and Pearl introduces the regional legendaries, Dialga and Palkia. Dialga is associated with diamonds (being a blue and gray Steel-type who holds the Adamant Orb^note "adamant" being an archaic term for diamond) and Palkia is associated with pearls (being a pink and white Water-type who holds the Lustrous Orb). Pokémon Legends: Arceus, which is set some hundred years in the past, explains that Sinnoh (then known as Hisui) used to be populated by two rival clans called the Diamond and Pearl. The former is led by Adaman and the latter by Irida^note "iridescence" being a coloration quality found in nature, including in mother-of-pearl.
  • Pokémon X and Y introduces Carbink, a Rock/Fairy Pokémon based around ore (as it has gemstones growing from its body) with a name that evokes "carbon" or "carbuncle". Carbinks can mutate and turn into Diancie (note the name), a Pokémon with very strong diamond motifs. It has pink diamonds growing from its body, is said to be able to convert carbon into diamonds, and is the only Pokémon that can learn the Gemstone Assault move "Diamond Storm". In keeping with the rarity and value of diamonds, Diancie has a strong royal/princess motif as well.

Web Animation

• RWBY: Emerald Sustrai, in addition to being named after the precious stone, also has some gemstone symbolism in her clothing, which has a stylized image of a round-cut gemstone included in her signature symbol.

Webcomics

• The Monster Under the Bed: Lady Moonlight is oftentimes accompanied by diamond imagery. Her tail-tip is diamond-shaped and she wears Aegises like pieces of jewelry, along with her being perpetually "shiny". It also extends to her behavior, with her seeing Shadow as something precious on top of not knowing about Shadow and Tim's Forbidden Friendship, making the truth something of a "diamond in the rough".

Western Animation

• My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic:
  • Rarity's special talent allows her to locate gems with her horn, and she is also commonly associated with diamonds, reflecting her love of perfection, beauty, and upper-class fashions.
  • The Crystal Ponies of the Crystal Empire all live in houses carved from gemstones, and when the ponies themselves are incredibly happy and charged with magic, they gain a sparkling gemstone-like texture to their bodies.
• Steven Universe: Nearly the entire cast of the show is named after or associated with a particular gemstone in some form, and much of that association ties into actual gem mythology.
  • Steven Universe is a joyful young boy with healing powers, and he frequently prefers to help rather than hurt his opponents. His gemstone (rose quartz) is said to have healing properties in both the physical and emotional sense, and is believed to be able to boost self love and promote mutual understanding. His mother, Rose, was similarly associated with healing and love, and gave up her physical form to give birth to Steven, tying into an old belief that giving a rose quartz to a baby will aid in its transformation from the spiritual world to its physical body.
    • Somewhat nullified following the reveal that Rose Quartz was actually Pink Diamond, however pink diamonds are still associated with creativity, love, and romance. Pink Diamond secretly organized her own fake assasination so she could escape to Earth and be with the people she loved and protect the planet she grew to see as her home.
  • Garnet is the Team Mom of the Crystal Gems and is basically Steven's surrogate mother in all but name. In gem mythos, garnets are known as stones that protect their wearers from evil, fitting the protective Mama Bear that is Garnet.
  • Garnet's components, Ruby and Sapphire, also qualify. Rubies are believed to promote closeness and commitment in a relationship, reflecting Ruby's complete and total dedication to Sapphire. Sapphires have long been associated with truth, love, and sincerity, and Sapphire is repeatedly shown to be a straightforward, honest Seer, while also being utterly smitten with her beloved Ruby.
  • Pearl is a poised, graceful warrior with a perfectionist streak, but is also a completely dedicated and loyal caretaker. Pearls in gem mythology are linked with beauty, purity and happiness, as well as being symbolic of the constellation Cancer, which also has associations with motherhood. Pearls are also seen as being on par with diamonds in terms of being a symbol of wealth, and Pearls on Homeworld are considered status symbols for high-ranking gems to own.
  • Amethyst is the team's Wild Child, is constantly getting herself into trouble, and acts like a boisterous Cool Big Sis to Steven. Amethysts have been often associated with the Greek god Dionysus, god of parties and wine, appropriate considering Amethyst's hedonistic and counterdependent personality.
  • The Diamond Authority are repeatedly shown throughout the series to be extremely slow to change and unyielding in their convictions, and diamonds are notorious for being one of the strongest and hardest materials in the universe. Diamonds are also said to be symbolic of love, and the Diamonds' one redeeming factor early on was their love for their supposedly shattered companion Pink Diamond.
    • Yellow Diamond is the ruthless General Ripper of the Diamond Authority, fitting her gem's association with order, intelligence, and cold calculation.
    • Blue Diamond is presented as the leader of Homeworld's nobility and shows an Undying Loyalty to her fellow Diamonds, and blue diamonds are commonly linked with wealth, nobility, and loyalty. Famous blue diamonds such as the Hope Diamond are also sometimes associated with misfortune, and Blue Diamond herself has the ability to inflict emotion and sorrow on her opponents, whether intentional or not.
    • White Diamond is the all-powerful, tyrannical God Empress of Homeworld, and is repeatedly shown to be obsessed with keeping everything perfect and pure. In gem mythology, white diamonds are linked to purity, and White Diamond's obsession with wiping out any and all "off-colors" could also be a reference to how actual impurity-free diamonds are actually clear, not white.
• Tangled: The Series: Cassandra is frequently associated with moonstones in the third season, especially after merging with the Moonstone Opal in the season two finale to exact her revenge on Rapunzel. Moonstones are symbolic of intuition and passion, traits that the no-nonsense Cassandra shows in spades. Moonstones are also said to represent cyclical change and new beginnings, fitting Cassandra's final character arc of accepting her dark past as Gothel's biological daughter, reconciling with Rapunzel, and eventually setting off into the world on her own journey.
• Totally Spies!: In one episode, the spies are assigned to protect a rich heiress (and obvious Paris Hilton Expy) from potential kidnappers. The heiress in question has a fondness for pink diamonds, which end up becoming a crucial clue in solving the case.

Real Life

• The tradition of birthstones, which ascribes a specific gemstone to each month.
  • January: Garnet
  • February: Amethyst
  • March: Aquamarine
  • April: Diamond
  • May: Emerald
  • June: Pearl
  • July: Ruby
  • August: Peridot
  • September: Sapphire
  • October: Opal
  • November: Topaz
  • December: Zircon
• The Western Zodiac has a gemstone ascribed to each astrological sign.
  • Ares: Bloodstone
  • Taurus: Sapphire
  • Gemini: Agate
  • Cancer: Emerald
  • Leo: Onyx
  • Virgo: Carnelian
  • Libra: Chrysolite
  • Scorpio: Beryl
  • Sagittarius: Topaz
  • Capricorn: Ruby
  • Aquarius: Garnet
  • Pisces: Amethyst
• Plenty of countries around the world have a national mineral or gemstone that is meant to symbolically represent the nation.
  • Many of the U.S. states have a designated rock, mineral, or gemstone as a symbol to promote interest in their natural resources, history, and tourism. The Other Wiki has a list of all 50 states and their signature stones.
  • Sri Lanka was often referred to by travellers as the "Island of Gems" due to its abundance of precious stones. Ratnapura, Sri Lanka is also known as the "City of Gems" due to its long history of being at the center of a long-standing industry of precious stone mining, including rubies, sapphires, and other gems.
• The concept of a "jubilee", which celebrates anniversary of an event, usually denoting the 25th, 40th, 50th, 60th, and the 70th anniversary. A 40th anniversary is called a Ruby jubilee, the 60th anniversary is the Diamond jubilee, and the 65th is a Sapphire jubilee.

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