Get to Know: Indonesian Gemstones

Indonesia has a long history of gemstone use, proven by the discovery of bracelet-like objects in West Java. The ancient jewelry items made of jasper were thought to have been made around 3500 BC. The site of the find is called Mount Padang, and is a man-made pyramid that was thought to have been constructed during the Bronze Age. According to some, it may even be the oldest man-made structure in the world. The Indonesian gemstone industry is mainly concentrated in South Kalimantan on the island of Borneo. This is the largest island in Asia which is shared among the Kingdom of Brunei, Malaysia and Indonesia. With that being said, here are a few notable gemstones to look out for in Indonesia :

One of the most colorful stones found in Indonesia is jasper. It is an impure, opaque variety of quartz that can be found in almost any color, with stripes, spots or flamed patterns. Indonesian jasper cabochons are found in delicate neutral colors, eye-catching vivid colors, or dark masculine hues. One bright yellow and black stone from Java is traded as "bumble bee jasper".

The Agatized fossil coral is another Indonesian gemstone specialty. This is not mined from the sea bed, where coral reefs are protected, but collected from the earth, where the ancient coral reefs have been thrust upward by tectonic activity. Fossil corals are found in Kalimantan, Sumatra and Java. They are sometimes kept as intact specimens, carved into ornaments or cut and polished into gemstone cabochons.

Over the last decade or so, the domestic Indonesian gemstone industry has expanded as gemstones are sold to tourists as souvenirs, as well as being traded all over the world. All in all, Indonesia's gemstones are as diverse and colorful as the culture, flora and fauna that thrive in the equatorial archipelago.