Difference between revisions of "Gem"

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(→‎Alchemy with gems: - more specific link)
(→‎Generation and identification: re-wording some gem probability text)
 
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{{items}}
 
{{items}}
 
{{otheruses||the material|gemstone}}
 
{{otheruses||the material|gemstone}}
−
'''Gems''' are simple, (usually) [[weight|lightweight]] items that are found in the [[dungeon]]. They come in three varieties: valuable gems, pieces of worthless glass which look similar, and gray stones. Another type of item that uses the same glyph is the [[rock]], which is dealt with differently.
+
In ''[[NetHack]]'', '''gems''' are simple and typically [[weight|lightweight]] items found in the [[dungeon]]. They come in three varieties: valuable gems, '''worthless pieces of glass''' which look similar, and gray stones. Another type of item that uses the same glyph is the [[rock]], which is handled differently.
  
−
Valuable (identified) gems may be sold for relatively large amounts of [[money]] at most general [[store]]s, which makes them valuable as a compact form of money. However, shopkeepers will always buy unidentified gems as if they are worthless glass, and will always sell unidentified gems as if they are valuable. (Gems are subject to the random +33% surcharge in recent versions.) Valuable gems may also be [[throw]]n to a co-aligned [[unicorn]] to get a large [[Luck]] increase. Throwing any valuable or worthless gem to a unicorn will [[peaceful|pacify]] them, and will variably raise or lower luck in certain cases. See the [[unicorn]] page for details. Valuables also give [[score]], but score is [[stupid ascension trick|totally unimportant]], and lower scoring ascensions are more prestigeous anyway.
+
Valuable identified gems may be sold for relatively large amounts of [[money]] at most general [[store]]s, which makes them valuable as a compact form of money. However, shopkeepers will always buy unidentified gems as if they are worthless glass, and will always sell unidentified gems as if they are valuable, possibly subject to a further 33% surcharge for being unidentified. Valuable gems may also be [[throw]]n to a co-aligned [[unicorn]] to get a large [[Luck]] increase. Throwing any valuable or worthless gem to a unicorn will [[peaceful|pacify]] them, and will variably raise or lower luck in certain cases. See the [[unicorn]] page for details. Valuable gems also give [[score]], but as score does not normally matter, this is typically of low importance.
  
 
Glass and rocks are relatively worthless, though they can be used for [[throw]]ing if you should wish to conserve your other attacks. Additionally, they can occasionally be polymorphed into more valuable gems if included in a [[polypiling|polypile]], though it's not worth wasting a wand charge on them. Rocks can also be changed in to [[meatball]]s, useful for taming and for sale in shops.
 
Glass and rocks are relatively worthless, though they can be used for [[throw]]ing if you should wish to conserve your other attacks. Additionally, they can occasionally be polymorphed into more valuable gems if included in a [[polypiling|polypile]], though it's not worth wasting a wand charge on them. Rocks can also be changed in to [[meatball]]s, useful for taming and for sale in shops.
  
−
Despite the name, a worthless piece of ''<color>'' glass will not shatter like other glass items if [[throw]]n against a [[wall]] or dropped while [[levitate|levitating]]. You can fire them from [[sling]]s as a lighter version of [[rock]]s; like [[rock]]s, they can be [[multishot]]. If they are used as ammo however, both worthless pieces of glass and precious gems may disappear (like [[arrow]]s).
+
Despite the name, a worthless piece of ''<color>'' glass will not shatter like other glass items if [[throw]]n against a [[wall]] or dropped while [[levitation|levitating]]. You can fire them from [[sling]]s as a lighter version of [[rock]]s; like [[rock]]s, they can be [[multishot]]. If they are used as ammo however, both worthless pieces of glass and precious gems may disappear (like [[arrow]]s).
  
 
__TOC__
 
__TOC__
  
−
[[Gray stone]]s are a catchall for four different objects until they are identified.
+
==Tables of gems==
−
* [[Touchstone]]s may be used to identify glass from gems, and even the variety of gem if it is a blessed touchstone.
 
−
* [[Luckstone]]s will augment your luck rather impressively; if you have a blessed luckstone and no other luckitems, your good [[Luck]] will not timeout, bad Luck will, and you'll get +3 extra Luck.
 
−
* [[Loadstone]]s are a pun (dating back to early editions of Dungeons and Dragons): at 500 [[weight|weight units]], they weigh 50 times as much as the other gray stones, and they [[autocursing|autocurse]] (and are generated cursed) so they cannot be dropped.
 
−
* [[Flint stone]]s have no particular purpose, but they do slightly better as sling ammo.
 
−
 
 
−
== Tables of gems ==
 
  
 
===By value===
 
===By value===
−
Some gems' appearances can change. In these cases all the options are listed. The actual appearance is randomly chosen from the options at the beginning of each new game. The hardness of a gem can be tested by [[Engrave|#engraving]] with it; if the gem is hard, the game will prompt "What do you want to engrave?"; if it is soft, "What do you want to write in the dust?"
+
Some gems' appearances can change. In these cases all the options are listed. The actual appearance is randomly chosen from the options at the beginning of each new game, and is consistent throughout that game (if one fluorite is white, all fluorites in that game will be white). The hardness of a gem can be tested by [[Engrave|#engraving]] with it; if the gem is hard, the game will prompt "What do you want to engrave?"; if it is soft, "What do you want to write in the dust?"
  
 
<!-- This table was generated by a program; see the talk page. -->
 
<!-- This table was generated by a program; see the talk page. -->
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!Weight
 
!Weight
 
!Hardness
 
!Hardness
 +
!Prob (‰)
 
!class="unsortable"|Material
 
!class="unsortable"|Material
 
|-
 
|-
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|[[Weight|1]]
 
|[[Weight|1]]
 
|soft
 
|soft
 +
|2
 
|[[gemstone]]
 
|[[gemstone]]
 
|-
 
|-
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|[[Weight|1]]
 
|[[Weight|1]]
 
|HARD
 
|HARD
 +
|3
 
|[[gemstone]]
 
|[[gemstone]]
 
|-
 
|-
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|[[Weight|1]]
 
|[[Weight|1]]
 
|HARD
 
|HARD
 +
|4
 
|[[gemstone]]
 
|[[gemstone]]
 
|-
 
|-
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|[[Weight|1]]
 
|[[Weight|1]]
 
|HARD
 
|HARD
 +
|3
 
|[[gemstone]]
 
|[[gemstone]]
 
|-
 
|-
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|[[Weight|1]]
 
|[[Weight|1]]
 
|HARD
 
|HARD
 +
|4
 
|[[gemstone]]
 
|[[gemstone]]
 
|-
 
|-
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|[[Weight|1]]
 
|[[Weight|1]]
 
|HARD
 
|HARD
 +
|3
 
|[[gemstone]]
 
|[[gemstone]]
 
|-
 
|-
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|[[Weight|1]]
 
|[[Weight|1]]
 
|HARD
 
|HARD
 +
|5
 
|[[gemstone]]
 
|[[gemstone]]
 
|-
 
|-
−
|{{green|*}}{{blue|*}}<br />[[Image:green gem.png]][[Image:blue gem.png]]
+
|{{green|*}}[[Image:green gem.png]]<br />{{blue|*}}[[Image:blue gem.png]]
 
|'''turquoise stone'''
 
|'''turquoise stone'''
 
|green gem<br />blue gem
 
|green gem<br />blue gem
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|[[Weight|1]]
 
|[[Weight|1]]
 
|soft
 
|soft
 +
|6
 
|[[gemstone]]
 
|[[gemstone]]
 
|-
 
|-
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|[[Weight|1]]
 
|[[Weight|1]]
 
|soft
 
|soft
 +
|4
 
|[[gemstone]]
 
|[[gemstone]]
 
|-
 
|-
−
|{{green|*}}{{blue|*}}<br />[[Image:green gem.png]][[Image:blue gem.png]]
+
|{{green|*}}[[Image:green gem.png]]<br />{{blue|*}}[[Image:blue gem.png]]
 
|'''aquamarine stone'''
 
|'''aquamarine stone'''
 
|green gem<br />blue gem
 
|green gem<br />blue gem
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|[[Weight|1]]
 
|[[Weight|1]]
 
|HARD
 
|HARD
 +
|6
 
|[[gemstone]]
 
|[[gemstone]]
 
|-
 
|-
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|[[Weight|1]]
 
|[[Weight|1]]
 
|soft
 
|soft
 +
|8
 
|[[gemstone]]
 
|[[gemstone]]
 
|-
 
|-
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|[[Weight|1]]
 
|[[Weight|1]]
 
|HARD
 
|HARD
 +
|10
 
|[[gemstone]]
 
|[[gemstone]]
 
|-
 
|-
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|[[Weight|1]]
 
|[[Weight|1]]
 
|soft
 
|soft
 +
|6
 
|[[gemstone]]
 
|[[gemstone]]
 
|-
 
|-
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|[[Weight|1]]
 
|[[Weight|1]]
 
|soft
 
|soft
 +
|12
 
|[[gemstone]]
 
|[[gemstone]]
 
|-
 
|-
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|[[Weight|1]]
 
|[[Weight|1]]
 
|soft
 
|soft
 +
|8
 
|[[gemstone]]
 
|[[gemstone]]
 
|-
 
|-
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|[[Weight|1]]
 
|[[Weight|1]]
 
|soft
 
|soft
 +
|12
 
|[[gemstone]]
 
|[[gemstone]]
 
|-
 
|-
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|[[Weight|1]]
 
|[[Weight|1]]
 
|soft
 
|soft
 +
|14
 
|[[gemstone]]
 
|[[gemstone]]
 
|-
 
|-
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|[[Weight|1]]
 
|[[Weight|1]]
 
|soft
 
|soft
 +
|15
 
|[[gemstone]]
 
|[[gemstone]]
 
|-
 
|-
−
|{{green|*}}{{blue|*}}<br />[[Image:green gem.png]][[Image:blue gem.png]]<br />{{white|*}}{{magenta|*}}<br />[[Image:white gem.png]][[Image:violet gem.png]]
+
|{{green|*}}[[Image:green gem.png]]<br />{{blue|*}}[[Image:blue gem.png]]<br />{{white|*}}[[Image:white gem.png]]<br />{{magenta|*}}[[Image:violet gem.png]]
 
|'''fluorite stone'''
 
|'''fluorite stone'''
 
|green gem<br />blue gem<br />white gem<br />violet gem
 
|green gem<br />blue gem<br />white gem<br />violet gem
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|[[Weight|1]]
 
|[[Weight|1]]
 
|soft
 
|soft
 +
|15
 
|[[gemstone]]
 
|[[gemstone]]
 
|-
 
|-
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|[[Weight|1]]
 
|[[Weight|1]]
 
|soft
 
|soft
 +
|10
 
|[[gemstone]]
 
|[[gemstone]]
 
|-
 
|-
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|[[Weight|1]]
 
|[[Weight|1]]
 
|soft
 
|soft
 +
|9
 
|[[gemstone]]
 
|[[gemstone]]
 
|-
 
|-
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|[[Weight|1]]
 
|[[Weight|1]]
 
|soft
 
|soft
 +
|12
 
|[[gemstone]]
 
|[[gemstone]]
 
|-
 
|-
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|[[Weight|1]]
 
|[[Weight|1]]
 
|soft
 
|soft
 +
|77
 
|[[glass]]
 
|[[glass]]
 
|-
 
|-
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|[[Weight|1]]
 
|[[Weight|1]]
 
|soft
 
|soft
 +
|77
 
|[[glass]]
 
|[[glass]]
 
|-
 
|-
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|[[Weight|1]]
 
|[[Weight|1]]
 
|soft
 
|soft
 +
|77
 
|[[glass]]
 
|[[glass]]
 
|-
 
|-
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|[[Weight|1]]
 
|[[Weight|1]]
 
|soft
 
|soft
 +
|77
 
|[[glass]]
 
|[[glass]]
 
|-
 
|-
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|[[Weight|1]]
 
|[[Weight|1]]
 
|soft
 
|soft
 +
|76
 
|[[glass]]
 
|[[glass]]
 
|-
 
|-
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|[[Weight|1]]
 
|[[Weight|1]]
 
|soft
 
|soft
 +
|77
 
|[[glass]]
 
|[[glass]]
 
|-
 
|-
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|[[Weight|1]]
 
|[[Weight|1]]
 
|soft
 
|soft
 +
|76
 
|[[glass]]
 
|[[glass]]
 
|-
 
|-
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|[[Weight|1]]
 
|[[Weight|1]]
 
|soft
 
|soft
 +
|77
 
|[[glass]]
 
|[[glass]]
 
|-
 
|-
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|[[Weight|1]]
 
|[[Weight|1]]
 
|soft
 
|soft
 +
|77
 
|[[glass]]
 
|[[glass]]
 
|-
 
|-
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|[[Weight|10]]
 
|[[Weight|10]]
 
|soft
 
|soft
 +
|10
 
|[[mineral]]
 
|[[mineral]]
 
|-
 
|-
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|[[Weight|500]]
 
|[[Weight|500]]
 
|soft
 
|soft
 +
|10
 
|[[mineral]]
 
|[[mineral]]
 
|-
 
|-
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|[[Weight|10]]
 
|[[Weight|10]]
 
|soft
 
|soft
 +
|8
 
|[[mineral]]
 
|[[mineral]]
 
|-
 
|-
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|[[Weight|10]]
 
|[[Weight|10]]
 
|soft
 
|soft
 +
|10
 
|[[mineral]]
 
|[[mineral]]
 
|-
 
|-
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|[[Weight|10]]
 
|[[Weight|10]]
 
|soft
 
|soft
 +
|100
 
|[[mineral]]
 
|[[mineral]]
 
|}
 
|}
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===By color===
 
===By color===
 
The gems that have a randomized appearance are marked with an asterisk, "*".
 
The gems that have a randomized appearance are marked with an asterisk, "*".
 +
{{todo|The unidentified sell price column hasn't been updated since 3.4.3 and is out of date, and probably nobody cares enough to update it, because the prices are a huge pain to calculate.}}
 
{|class="prettytable"
 
{|class="prettytable"
 
!rowspan="2"|Color
 
!rowspan="2"|Color
 
!rowspan="2"|Possibilities
 
!rowspan="2"|Possibilities
 
!rowspan="2"|Cost
 
!rowspan="2"|Cost
−
!colspan="3"|Unidentified Sell Price
+
!colspan="3"|Unidentified sell price
 +
!rowspan="2"|Level
 
!rowspan="2"|Hardness
 
!rowspan="2"|Hardness
 
|-
 
|-
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|4
 
|4
 
|6
 
|6
 +
|27
 
|soft
 
|soft
 
|-
 
|-
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|5
 
|5
 
|3
 
|3
 +
|24
 
|HARD
 
|HARD
 
|-
 
|-
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|7
 
|7
 
|3
 
|3
 +
|1
 
|soft
 
|soft
 
|-
 
|-
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|7
 
|7
 
|4
 
|4
 +
|1
 
|soft
 
|soft
 
|-
 
|-
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|6
 
|6
 
|4
 
|4
 +
|1
 
|soft
 
|soft
 
|-
 
|-
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|3
 
|3
 
|6
 
|6
 +
|15
 
|HARD
 
|HARD
 
|-
 
|-
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|6
 
|6
 
|5
 
|5
 +
|6
 
|soft
 
|soft
 
|-
 
|-
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|3
 
|3
 
|3
 
|3
 +
|1
 
|HARD
 
|HARD
 
|-
 
|-
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|7
 
|7
 
|4
 
|4
 +
|1
 
|soft
 
|soft
 
|-
 
|-
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|7
 
|7
 
|5
 
|5
 +
|1
 
|soft
 
|soft
 
|-
 
|-
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|6
 
|6
 
|4
 
|4
 +
|21
 
|HARD
 
|HARD
 
|-
 
|-
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|4
 
|4
 
|5
 
|5
 +
|1
 
|soft
 
|soft
 
|-
 
|-
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|6
 
|6
 
|3
 
|3
 +
|1
 
|soft
 
|soft
 
|-
 
|-
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|3
 
|3
 
|6
 
|6
 +
|1
 
|soft
 
|soft
 
|-
 
|-
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|4
 
|4
 
|4
 
|4
 +
|1
 
|soft
 
|soft
 
|-
 
|-
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|5
 
|5
 
|5
 
|5
 +
|1
 
|HARD
 
|HARD
 
|-
 
|-
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|4
 
|4
 
|3
 
|3
 +
|1
 
|soft
 
|soft
 
|-
 
|-
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|7
 
|7
 
|5
 
|5
 +
|18
 
|HARD
 
|HARD
 
|-
 
|-
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|4
 
|4
 
|6
 
|6
 +
|1
 
|soft
 
|soft
 
|-
 
|-
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|5
 
|5
 
|4
 
|4
 +
|1
 
|soft
 
|soft
 
|-
 
|-
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|7
 
|7
 
|6
 
|6
 +
|3
 
|soft
 
|soft
 
|-
 
|-
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|3
 
|3
 
|4
 
|4
 +
|1
 
|soft
 
|soft
 
|-
 
|-
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|6
 
|6
 
|5
 
|5
 +
|1
 
|soft
 
|soft
 
|-
 
|-
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|4
 
|4
 
|3
 
|3
 +
|12
 
|HARD
 
|HARD
 
|-
 
|-
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|6
 
|6
 
|6
 
|6
 +
|1
 
|soft
 
|soft
 
|-
 
|-
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|3
 
|3
 
|5
 
|5
 +
|1
 
|soft
 
|soft
 
|-
 
|-
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|7
 
|7
 
|6
 
|6
 +
|1
 
|soft
 
|soft
 
|-
 
|-
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|5
 
|5
 
|4
 
|4
 +
|9
 
|HARD
 
|HARD
 
|-
 
|-
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|3
 
|3
 
|3
 
|3
 +
|1
 
|HARD
 
|HARD
 
|-
 
|-
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|5
 
|5
 
|3
 
|3
 +
|1
 
|soft
 
|soft
 
|-
 
|-
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|7
 
|7
 
|4
 
|4
 +
|1
 
|soft
 
|soft
 
|-
 
|-
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|6
 
|6
 
|5
 
|5
 +
|6
 
|soft
 
|soft
 
|-
 
|-
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|3
 
|3
 
|3
 
|3
 +
|1
 
|soft
 
|soft
 
|-
 
|-
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|5
 
|5
 
|6
 
|6
 +
|1
 
|soft
 
|soft
 
|-
 
|-
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|7
 
|7
 
|4
 
|4
 +
|1
 
|soft
 
|soft
 
|-
 
|-
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|4
 
|4
 
|4
 
|4
 +
|1
 
|soft
 
|soft
 
|}
 
|}
  
 
==Generation and identification==
 
==Generation and identification==
−
To be formally identified means that a gem can be sold at a shop using its base price instead of just a few zorkmids; even if you've found all the other members of the white gem family, including the worthless glass bauble, the shopkeeper will not take "A white gem called Diamond" at face value.  Much like other forms of identification, gems can be identified by [[Scroll of identify|scrolls]] or [[Spellbook of identify|spells]] of identification, the former of which is generally considered wasteful to use on gems unless it is [[Blessed]] to begin with, sitting on [[Throne room|thrones]] and hoping for a [[Blessed]] identification, or using a [[Touchstone]], [[Blessed]] for everyone except [[Gnomes]] and [[Archaeologists]] who only require it to be [[Uncursed]]. Before all that, there are easy ways of determining which gems are worth the effort of formally identifying.
+
To be formally identified means that a gem can be sold at a shop using its base price instead of just a few zorkmids; even if you've found all the other members of the white gem family, including the worthless glass bauble, the shopkeeper will not take "a white gem called diamond" at face value.  Much like other forms of identification, gems can be formally identified by:
 +
* [[scroll of identify|scrolls]] or [[spellbook of identify|spells]] of identification, the former of which is generally considered wasteful to use on gems unless it is [[blessed]] to begin with
 +
* Sitting on [[throne]]s and hoping for a [[blessed]] identification
 +
* Using a [[touchstone]], which must be [[blessed]] to perform formal identification for everyone except [[gnome (starting race)|gnomes]] and [[archeologist]]s (who only require it to be [[uncursed]]).
 +
 
 +
Before all that, there are easy ways of determining which gems are worth the effort of formally identifying.
 +
 
 +
Some valuable gems can only be generated at specific dungeon levels or below. If a particular valuable gem would have been created but the dungeon level is not deep enough, a different valuable gem will be generated instead.  Dungeon level does not otherwise affect gem probability, and the ratio of randomly generated gems to randomly generated glass is roughly 1:4 regardless of dungeon level.
 +
 
 +
These are the minimum levels for certain valuable gems:
 +
 
 +
{|class="prettytable"
 +
! Dungeon level
 +
! Gem
 +
|-
 +
|  3 || citrine stone
 +
|-
 +
|  6 || turquoise stone
 +
|-
 +
|  9 || emerald
 +
|-
 +
| 12 || black opal
 +
|-
 +
| 15 || sapphire
 +
|-
 +
| 18 || jacinth stone
 +
|-
 +
| 21 || ruby
 +
|-
 +
| 24 || diamond
 +
|-
 +
| 27 || dilithium crystal
 +
|}
 +
 
 +
Any other gems not listed above can be generated on any dungeon level.
 +
 
 +
Additionally, there are places where certain types of gems are guaranteed to be generated. Twelve gems – three diamonds (white), three emeralds (green), three rubies (red), and three amethysts (violet) – are guaranteed in the corner turrets of [[Fort Ludios]], for example. Also, each [[Mines' End|bottom]] of the [[Gnomish Mines]] has several guaranteed gems, including at least an [[uncursed]] [[luckstone]] and an [[amethyst]].
  
−
NetHack generates specific valuable gems at specific dungeon levels, but only at level generation time.  This means that the first wave of monsters will never be holding a valuable gem that is worth more than the dungeon level allows, though subsequent ones may, and the contents of the walls are generated only once.  Soft gems found in the early game are likely to be glass, and if they are expensive to buy back from shops, they are worthless.  Valuable $2000 gems start at level 7, $2500 at 10, $3000 at 16, pricier even deeper.  See this [http://www.steelypips.org/nethack/343/gems-343.html external link] for details and spoilers.  Additionally, there are places where certain types of gems are guaranteed to be generated.  Twelve gems - three diamonds (white), three emeralds (green), three rubies (red), and three amethysts (violet) - are guaranteed in the corner turrets of [[Fort Ludios]], for example.  Also, each [[Mines'_End|bottom]] of the [[Gnomish Mines]] has several guaranteed gems, at least an [[uncursed]] [[luckstone]] and an [[amethyst]]. [[Amethyst]]s have the special property of converting [[Potion of booze|booze]] into [[Potion of fruit juice|fruit juice]], which may be used to informally identify them (and also booze and fruit juice).
+
[[Amethyst]]s have the special property of converting [[potion of booze|booze]] into [[potion of fruit juice|fruit juice]], which may be used to informally identify them (and also booze and fruit juice).
  
−
Outside of this issue, there are ways of ruling out valuable gems from worthless glass. Some players type-#[[name]] all gems to take advantage of this and of the fact the hardness/color/price/isglass quadruple is unique for each type of gem but hovering over the wiki tables on this page may appear in bad form.  Possessing an [[uncursed]] [[touchstone]] can easily separate glass from valuable gems but, in lieu of that, you have a variety of tests one can perform. The most prominent distinction is that the inventory automatically creates stacks of different undefined gems that are described as the same color; there is only one pile of worthless glass of any given color. Next is hardness - all HARD gems are valuable - and hardness can easily be tested by trying to #[[Engrave]] with gems on the dungeon floor. If you engrave in the dust, the gem is soft; if you scratch the floor itself, the gem is HARD. Of the remaining groups of soft gems, you can throw one of each stack at a [[cross-aligned]] [[Unicorn]] while utilizing #[[Name|naming]] tricks to keep track of which gems were found, which gems were to be thrown at the [[Unicorn]], and which gems were rejected by the [[Unicorn]]. [[Cross-aligned]] [[Unicorns]] only accept valuable gems "hesitatingly" and there is no [[Luck]] penalty for killing them, if without a [[Pet]], though there may be an unknown [[Luck]] adjustment when they catch said valuable gems.
+
An [[uncursed]] [[touchstone]] can easily separate glass from valuable gems. Even without one, there are ways of distinguishing valuable gems from glass. Some players type-[[name]] all gems to take advantage of the fact the hardness/color/price/is-glass quadruple is unique for each type of gem. The inventory list automatically creates stacks of different unidentified gems that are described as the same color; there is only one pile of worthless glass of any given color. Next is hardness – all hard gems are valuable – and hardness can easily be tested by trying to [[engrave]] with gems on the dungeon floor. If you engrave in the dust, the gem is soft; if you scratch the floor itself, the gem is hard. Of the remaining groups of soft gems, you can throw one of each stack at a [[cross-aligned]] [[unicorn]] while utilizing [[name|naming]] tricks to keep track of which gems were found, which gems were to be thrown at the [[unicorn]], and which gems were rejected by the [[unicorn]]. [[Cross-aligned]] [[unicorn]]s only accept valuable gems "hesitatingly" and there is no [[Luck]] penalty for killing them, if without a [[Pet]], though there may be an unknown [[Luck]] adjustment when they catch said valuable gems.
 +
 
 +
Do not bother to [[BUC]] identify your gems (not counting gray stones) at an [[altar]]. They are always generated uncursed and their BUC status has no effect. Marking them uncursed at an altar just causes the gems to fail to stack when you pick up more gems of the same type that haven't been formally BUC identified, wasting inventory slots. This can be particularly annoying if you are distinguishing valuable gems without formally identifying them, e.g. by throwing them at unicorns or using an uncursed touchstone, as it will prevent gems you pick up from stacking with [[name]]d stacks.
  
 
==Prices when unidentified==
 
==Prices when unidentified==
−
When selling gems which have not been formally identified to a shop, you will be offered a price from one of the "Unidentified Sell Price" columns. The values here will sometimes allow you to identify the gem. The column used is fixed for each shop (but may differ between shops), which may allow more gems to be identified if the column can first be determined.
+
When selling gems which have not been formally identified to a shop, you will be offered a price from one of the "Unidentified sell price" columns. The values here will sometimes allow you to identify the gem. The column used is fixed for each shop (but may differ between shops), which may allow more gems to be identified if the column can first be determined.
 +
 
 +
The price table depends on compile time options. If you compiled NetHack yourself, check it is still valid.
 +
 
 +
==Gray stones==
 +
A [[gray stone]] can be one of the following items:
 +
* [[Touchstone]]s may be used to identify glass from gems, and even the variety of gem if it is a blessed touchstone or you are a [[gnome]] or [[archeologist]].
 +
* [[Luckstone]]s will augment your luck rather impressively; if you have a blessed luckstone and no other luck items, your good [[Luck]] will not timeout, bad Luck will, and you'll get +3 extra Luck.
 +
* [[Loadstone]]s are a [[pun]] (dating back to early editions of Dungeons and Dragons): at 500 [[weight|weight units]], they weigh 50 times as much as the other gray stones, and they [[autocursing|autocurse]] (and are generated cursed) so they cannot be dropped.
 +
* [[Flint stone]]s have no particular purpose, but they do slightly better as sling ammo.
  
−
The price table depends on compile time options. If you compiled Nethack yourself, check it is still valid.
+
Unlike other gems, unidentified gray stones are priced by shopkeepers at their normal values, so [[price identification]] is a viable way to identify them.
  
 
==SLASH'EM==
 
==SLASH'EM==
−
Due to the existence of [[migohive]]s, identifying four gems is slightly easier in SLASH'EM, due to the fact that only these gems are generated in migohives- the diamond, the ruby, the agate stone, and the fluorite stone. Hence, if you find a white gem in a migohive and can engrave with it, it's a diamond, and otherwise it's a fluorite stone. Blue, green, or purple gems found in migohives are also fluorite stones. If you find a red gem in a migohive, it's a ruby, and if you find an orange gem, it's an agate stone.
+
Due to the existence of [[migohive]]s, identifying four gems is slightly easier in SLASH'EM, because only these gems are generated in migohives: diamonds, rubies, agate stones, and fluorite stones. Hence, if you find a white gem in a migohive and can engrave with it, it's a diamond, and otherwise it's a fluorite stone. Blue, green, or purple gems found in migohives are also fluorite stones. If you find a red gem in a migohive, it's a ruby, and if you find an orange gem, it's an agate stone.
  
 
===Alchemy with gems===
 
===Alchemy with gems===
−
Valuable gems can be dipped into a potion of acid to make new potions. See [[Alchemy#SLASH.27EM|Alchemy]].
+
Valuable gems can be dipped into a potion of acid to make new potions. See [[Alchemy#Gem alchemy|Alchemy § Gem alchemy]] for details.
 +
 
 +
== Encyclopedia entries ==
 +
=== Gem or rock ===
 +
{{encyclopedia|
 +
The difference between false memories and true ones is the same as for jewels:  it is always the false ones that look the most real, the most brilliant.
 +
|[ Salvador Dali ]
 +
}}
 +
 
 +
=== Agate ===
 +
{{encyclopedia|
 +
Translucent, cryptocrystalline variety of quartz and a subvariety of chalcedony.  Agates are identical in chemical structure to jasper, flint, chert, petrified wood, and tiger's-eye, and are often found in association with opal.  The colorful, banded rocks are used as a semiprecious gemstone and in the manufacture of grinding equipment.  An agate's banding forms as silica from solution is slowly deposited into cavities and veins in older rock.
 +
|[ The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition ]
 +
}}
 +
 
 +
=== Amber ===
 +
{{encyclopedia|
 +
"Tree sap," Wu explained, "often flows over insects and traps them.  The insects are then perfectly preserved within the fossil.  One finds all kinds of insects in amber - including biting insects that have sucked blood from larger animals."
 +
|[ Jurassic Park, by Michael Crichton ]
 +
}}
 +
 
 +
=== Diamond ===
 +
{{encyclopedia|
 +
The hardest known mineral (with a hardness of 10 on Mohs' scale). It is an allotropic form of pure carbon that has crystallized in the cubic system, usually as octahedra or cubes, under great pressure.
 +
{{right-align|[ A Concise Dictionary of Physics ]}}
 +
The diamond, _adamas_ or _dyamas_, is a transparent stone, like crystal, but having the colour of polished iron, but it cannot be destroyed by iron, fire or any other means, unless it is placed in the hot blood of a goat; with sharp pieces of diamond other stones are engraved and polished.  It is no greater than a small nut.  There are six kinds, however Adamant attracts metal; it expels venom; it produces amber (and is efficacious against empty fears and for those resisting spells).  It is found in India, in Greece and in Cyprus, where magicians make use of it.  It gives you courage; it averts apparitions; it removes anger and quarrels; it heals the mad; it defends you from your enemies.  It should be set in gold or silver and worn on the left arm.  It is likewise found in Arabia.
 +
{{right-align|[ The Aberdeen Bestiary, translated by Colin McLaren ]}}
 +
}}
 +
 
 +
=== Dilithium ===
 +
{{encyclopedia|
 +
The most famous and the first to be named of the imaginary "minerals" of Star Trek is dilithium. ... Because of this mineral's central role in the storyline, a whole mythology surrounds it.  It is, however, a naturally occurring substance within the mythology, as there are various episodes that make reference to the mining of dilithium deposits.... This name itself is imaginary and gives no real information on the structure or make-up of this substance other than that this version of the name implies a lithium and iron-bearing aluminosilicate of some sort.  That said, the real mineral that most closely matches the descriptive elements of this name is ferroholmquistite which is a dilithium triferrodiallosilicate. If one goes on the premise that nature follows certain general norms, then one could extrapolate that dilithium might have a similar number of silicon atoms in its structure.
 +
Keeping seven (i.e. hepto) ferrous irons and balancing the oxygens would give a theoretical formula of Li2Fe7Al2Si8O27. A mineral with this composition could theoretically exist, although it is doubtful that it would possess the more fantastic properties ascribed to dilithium.
 +
|[ The Mineralogy of Star Trek, by Jeffrey de Fourestier ]
 +
}}
 +
 
 +
=== Emerald ===
 +
{{encyclopedia|
 +
'Put off that mask of burning gold
 +
With emerald eyes.'
 +
'O no, my dear, you make so bold
 +
To find if hearts be wild and wise,
 +
And yet not cold.'
 +
 
 +
'I would but find what's there to find,
 +
Love or deceit.'
 +
'It was the mask engaged your mind,
 +
And after set your heart to beat,
 +
Not what's behind.'
 +
 
 +
'But lest you are my enemy,
 +
I must enquire.'
 +
'O no, my dear, let all that be;
 +
What matter, so there is but fire
 +
In you, in me?'
 +
|[ The Mask, by W.B. Yeats ]
 +
}}
 +
 
 +
=== Jacinth stone ===
 +
{{encyclopedia|
 +
Sweet in the rough weather
 +
  The voice of the turtle-dove-
 +
'Beautiful altogether
 +
  Is my Love.
 +
  His Hands are open spread for love
 +
And full of jacinth stones-
 +
  As the apple-tree among trees of the grove
 +
Is He among the sons.'
 +
|[ The Beloved, by May Probyn ]
 +
}}
 +
 
 +
=== Jade ===
 +
{{encyclopedia|
 +
Nothing grew among the ruins of the city.  The streets were broken and the walls of the houses had fallen, but there were no weeds flowering in the cracks and it seemed that the city had but recently been brought down by an earthquake.  Only one thing still stood intact, towering over the ruins.  It was a gigantic statue of white, gray and green jade - the statue of a naked youth with a face of almost feminine beauty that turned sightless eyes toward the north.
 +
"The eyes!" Duke Avan Astran said.  "They're gone!"
 +
|[ The Jade Man's Eyes, by Michael Moorcock ]
 +
}}
 +
 
 +
=== Obsidian ===
 +
{{encyclopedia|
 +
A volcanic glass, homogeneous in texture and having a low water content, with a vitreous luster and a conchoidal fracture.  The color is commonly black, but may be some shade of red or brown, and cut sections sometimes appear to be green.  Like other volcanic glasses, obsidian is a lava that has cooled too quickly for the contained minerals to crystallize.  In chemical composition it is rich in silica and similar to granite. It is favored by primitive peoples for knives, arrowheads, spearheads, and other weapons and tools.
 +
|[ The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition ]
 +
}}
 +
 
 +
=== Ruby and sapphire ===
 +
{{encyclopedia|
 +
_Corundum._ Mineral, aluminum oxide, Al2O3.  The clear varieties are used as gems and the opaque as abrasive materials.  Corundum occurs in crystals of the hexagonal system and in masses.  It is transparent to opaque and has a vitreous to adamantine luster. [...] The chief corundum gems are the ruby (red) and the sapphire (blue).
 +
|[ The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition ]
 +
}}
 +
 
 +
=== Topaz stone ===
 +
{{encyclopedia|
 +
Aluminum silicate mineral with either hydroxyl radicals or fluorine, Al2SiO4(F,OH)2, used as a gem. It is commonly colorless or some shade of pale yellow to wine-yellow; [...] The stone is transparent with a vitreous luster.  It has perfect cleavage on the basal pinacoid, but it is nevertheless hard and durable.  The brilliant cut is commonly used.  Topaz crystals, which are of the orthorhombic system, occur in highly acid igneous rocks, e.g., granites and rhyolites, and in metamorphic rocks, e.g., gneisses and schists.
 +
|[ The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition ]
 +
}}
 +
 
 +
=== Turquoise stone ===
 +
{{encyclopedia|
 +
TUBAL: There came divers of Antonio's creditors in my company to Venice that swear he cannot choose but break.
 +
SHYLOCK: I am very glad of it; I'll plague him, I'll torture  him; I am glad of it.
 +
TUBAL: One of them showed me a ring that he had of your daughter for a monkey.
 +
SHYLOCK: Out upon her!  Thou torturest me, Tubal.  It was my turquoise; I had it of Leah when I was a bachelor; I would not have given it for a wilderness of monkeys.
 +
|[ The Merchant of Venice, by William Shakespeare ]
 +
}}
 +
 
 
{{featured}}[[Category:Gems|*]]
 
{{featured}}[[Category:Gems|*]]
 +
{{nethack-343|offset=1}}

Latest revision as of 18:11, 14 September 2022

Item classes
" Amulets [ Armor
% Comestibles $ Coins
* Gems ! Potions
= Rings ? Scrolls
+ Spellbooks ` Statues
( Tools ` Boulders
) Weapons / Wands
For the material, see gemstone.

In NetHack, gems are simple and typically lightweight items found in the dungeon. They come in three varieties: valuable gems, worthless pieces of glass which look similar, and gray stones. Another type of item that uses the same glyph is the rock, which is handled differently.

Valuable identified gems may be sold for relatively large amounts of money at most general stores, which makes them valuable as a compact form of money. However, shopkeepers will always buy unidentified gems as if they are worthless glass, and will always sell unidentified gems as if they are valuable, possibly subject to a further 33% surcharge for being unidentified. Valuable gems may also be thrown to a co-aligned unicorn to get a large Luck increase. Throwing any valuable or worthless gem to a unicorn will pacify them, and will variably raise or lower luck in certain cases. See the unicorn page for details. Valuable gems also give score, but as score does not normally matter, this is typically of low importance.

Glass and rocks are relatively worthless, though they can be used for throwing if you should wish to conserve your other attacks. Additionally, they can occasionally be polymorphed into more valuable gems if included in a polypile, though it's not worth wasting a wand charge on them. Rocks can also be changed in to meatballs, useful for taming and for sale in shops.

Despite the name, a worthless piece of <color> glass will not shatter like other glass items if thrown against a wall or dropped while levitating. You can fire them from slings as a lighter version of rocks; like rocks, they can be multishot. If they are used as ammo however, both worthless pieces of glass and precious gems may disappear (like arrows).

Tables of gems

By value

Some gems' appearances can change. In these cases all the options are listed. The actual appearance is randomly chosen from the options at the beginning of each new game, and is consistent throughout that game (if one fluorite is white, all fluorites in that game will be white). The hardness of a gem can be tested by #engraving with it; if the gem is hard, the game will prompt "What do you want to engrave?"; if it is soft, "What do you want to write in the dust?"

* Name Description Cost (zm) Weight Hardness Prob (‰) Material
*White gem.png dilithium crystal white gem 4500 1 soft 2 gemstone
*White gem.png diamond white gem 4000 1 HARD 3 gemstone
*Red gem.png ruby red gem 3500 1 HARD 4 gemstone
*Orange gem.png jacinth stone orange gem 3250 1 HARD 3 gemstone
*Blue gem.png sapphire blue gem 3000 1 HARD 4 gemstone
*Black gem.png black opal black gem 2500 1 HARD 3 gemstone
*Green gem.png emerald green gem 2500 1 HARD 5 gemstone
*Green gem.png
*Blue gem.png 		turquoise stone green gem
blue gem 		2000 1 soft 6 gemstone
*Yellow gem.png citrine stone yellow gem 1500 1 soft 4 gemstone
*Green gem.png
*Blue gem.png 		aquamarine stone green gem
blue gem 		1500 1 HARD 6 gemstone
*Yellowish brown gem.png amber stone yellowish brown gem 1000 1 soft 8 gemstone
*Yellowish brown gem.png topaz stone yellowish brown gem 900 1 HARD 10 gemstone
*Black gem.png jet stone black gem 850 1 soft 6 gemstone
*White gem.png opal white gem 800 1 soft 12 gemstone
*Yellow gem.png chrysoberyl stone yellow gem 700 1 soft 8 gemstone
*Red gem.png garnet stone red gem 700 1 soft 12 gemstone
*Violet gem.png amethyst stone violet gem 600 1 soft 14 gemstone
*Red gem.png jasper stone red gem 500 1 soft 15 gemstone
*Green gem.png
*Blue gem.png
*White gem.png
*Violet gem.png 		fluorite stone green gem
blue gem
white gem
violet gem 		400 1 soft 15 gemstone
*Green gem.png jade stone green gem 300 1 soft 10 gemstone
*Black gem.png obsidian stone black gem 200 1 soft 9 gemstone
*Orange gem.png agate stone orange gem 200 1 soft 12 gemstone
*White gem.png worthless piece of white glass white gem 0 1 soft 77 glass
*Blue gem.png worthless piece of blue glass blue gem 0 1 soft 77 glass
*Red gem.png worthless piece of red glass red gem 0 1 soft 77 glass
*Yellowish brown gem.png worthless piece of yellowish brown glass yellowish brown gem 0 1 soft 77 glass
*Orange gem.png worthless piece of orange glass orange gem 0 1 soft 76 glass
*Yellow gem.png worthless piece of yellow glass yellow gem 0 1 soft 77 glass
*Black gem.png worthless piece of black glass black gem 0 1 soft 76 glass
*Green gem.png worthless piece of green glass green gem 0 1 soft 77 glass
*Violet gem.png worthless piece of violet glass violet gem 0 1 soft 77 glass
*Gray stone.png luckstone gray stone 60 10 soft 10 mineral
*Gray stone.png loadstone gray stone 1 500 soft 10 mineral
*Gray stone.png touchstone gray stone 45 10 soft 8 mineral
*Gray stone.png flint stone gray stone 1 10 soft 10 mineral
*Rock.png rock rock 0 10 soft 100 mineral

By color

The gems that have a randomized appearance are marked with an asterisk, "*".

A user has suggested improving this page or section as follows:

"The unidentified sell price column hasn't been updated since 3.4.3 and is out of date, and probably nobody cares enough to update it, because the prices are a huge pain to calculate."

Color Possibilities Cost Unidentified sell price Level Hardness
0 1 2
*White gem.pngWhite dilithium crystal 4500 4 4 6 27 soft
diamond 4000 5 5 3 24 HARD
opal 800 5 7 3 1 soft
fluorite stone* 400 4 7 4 1 soft
worthless glass 0 8 6 4 1 soft
*Blue gem.pngBlue sapphire 3000 8 3 6 15 HARD
turquoise stone* 2000 5 6 5 6 soft
aquamarine stone* 1500 7 3 3 1 HARD
fluorite stone* 400 4 7 4 1 soft
worthless glass 0 3 7 5 1 soft
*Red gem.pngRed ruby 3500 6 6 4 21 HARD
garnet stone 700 7 4 5 1 soft
jasper stone 500 3 6 3 1 soft
worthless glass 0 4 3 6 1 soft
*Yellowish brown gem.pngYellowish brown amber stone 1000 8 4 4 1 soft
topaz stone 900 3 5 5 1 HARD
worthless glass 0 5 4 3 1 soft
*Orange gem.pngOrange jacinth stone 3250 7 7 5 18 HARD
agate stone 200 6 4 6 1 soft
worthless glass 0 6 5 4 1 soft
*Yellow gem.pngYellow citrine stone 1500 6 7 6 3 soft
chrysoberyl stone 700 6 3 4 1 soft
worthless glass 0 7 6 5 1 soft
*Black gem.pngBlack black opal 2500 3 4 3 12 HARD
jet stone 850 4 6 6 1 soft
obsidian stone 200 5 3 5 1 soft
worthless glass 0 8 7 6 1 soft
*Green gem.pngGreen emerald 2500 4 5 4 9 HARD
aquamarine stone* 1500 7 3 3 1 HARD
jade stone 300 7 5 3 1 soft
fluorite stone* 400 4 7 4 1 soft
turquoise stone* 2000 5 6 5 6 soft
worthless glass 0 3 3 3 1 soft
*Violet gem.pngViolet amethyst stone 600 8 5 6 1 soft
fluorite stone* 400 4 7 4 1 soft
worthless glass 0 4 4 4 1 soft

Generation and identification

To be formally identified means that a gem can be sold at a shop using its base price instead of just a few zorkmids; even if you've found all the other members of the white gem family, including the worthless glass bauble, the shopkeeper will not take "a white gem called diamond" at face value. Much like other forms of identification, gems can be formally identified by:

Before all that, there are easy ways of determining which gems are worth the effort of formally identifying.

Some valuable gems can only be generated at specific dungeon levels or below. If a particular valuable gem would have been created but the dungeon level is not deep enough, a different valuable gem will be generated instead. Dungeon level does not otherwise affect gem probability, and the ratio of randomly generated gems to randomly generated glass is roughly 1:4 regardless of dungeon level.

These are the minimum levels for certain valuable gems:

Dungeon level Gem
3 citrine stone
6 turquoise stone
9 emerald
12 black opal
15 sapphire
18 jacinth stone
21 ruby
24 diamond
27 dilithium crystal

Any other gems not listed above can be generated on any dungeon level.

Additionally, there are places where certain types of gems are guaranteed to be generated. Twelve gems – three diamonds (white), three emeralds (green), three rubies (red), and three amethysts (violet) – are guaranteed in the corner turrets of Fort Ludios, for example. Also, each bottom of the Gnomish Mines has several guaranteed gems, including at least an uncursed luckstone and an amethyst.

Amethysts have the special property of converting booze into fruit juice, which may be used to informally identify them (and also booze and fruit juice).

An uncursed touchstone can easily separate glass from valuable gems. Even without one, there are ways of distinguishing valuable gems from glass. Some players type-name all gems to take advantage of the fact the hardness/color/price/is-glass quadruple is unique for each type of gem. The inventory list automatically creates stacks of different unidentified gems that are described as the same color; there is only one pile of worthless glass of any given color. Next is hardness – all hard gems are valuable – and hardness can easily be tested by trying to engrave with gems on the dungeon floor. If you engrave in the dust, the gem is soft; if you scratch the floor itself, the gem is hard. Of the remaining groups of soft gems, you can throw one of each stack at a cross-aligned unicorn while utilizing naming tricks to keep track of which gems were found, which gems were to be thrown at the unicorn, and which gems were rejected by the unicorn. Cross-aligned unicorns only accept valuable gems "hesitatingly" and there is no Luck penalty for killing them, if without a Pet, though there may be an unknown Luck adjustment when they catch said valuable gems.

Do not bother to BUC identify your gems (not counting gray stones) at an altar. They are always generated uncursed and their BUC status has no effect. Marking them uncursed at an altar just causes the gems to fail to stack when you pick up more gems of the same type that haven't been formally BUC identified, wasting inventory slots. This can be particularly annoying if you are distinguishing valuable gems without formally identifying them, e.g. by throwing them at unicorns or using an uncursed touchstone, as it will prevent gems you pick up from stacking with named stacks.

Prices when unidentified

When selling gems which have not been formally identified to a shop, you will be offered a price from one of the "Unidentified sell price" columns. The values here will sometimes allow you to identify the gem. The column used is fixed for each shop (but may differ between shops), which may allow more gems to be identified if the column can first be determined.

The price table depends on compile time options. If you compiled NetHack yourself, check it is still valid.

Gray stones

A gray stone can be one of the following items:

  • Touchstones may be used to identify glass from gems, and even the variety of gem if it is a blessed touchstone or you are a gnome or archeologist.
  • Luckstones will augment your luck rather impressively; if you have a blessed luckstone and no other luck items, your good Luck will not timeout, bad Luck will, and you'll get +3 extra Luck.
  • Loadstones are a pun (dating back to early editions of Dungeons and Dragons): at 500 weight units, they weigh 50 times as much as the other gray stones, and they autocurse (and are generated cursed) so they cannot be dropped.
  • Flint stones have no particular purpose, but they do slightly better as sling ammo.

Unlike other gems, unidentified gray stones are priced by shopkeepers at their normal values, so price identification is a viable way to identify them.

SLASH'EM

Due to the existence of migohives, identifying four gems is slightly easier in SLASH'EM, because only these gems are generated in migohives: diamonds, rubies, agate stones, and fluorite stones. Hence, if you find a white gem in a migohive and can engrave with it, it's a diamond, and otherwise it's a fluorite stone. Blue, green, or purple gems found in migohives are also fluorite stones. If you find a red gem in a migohive, it's a ruby, and if you find an orange gem, it's an agate stone.

Alchemy with gems

Valuable gems can be dipped into a potion of acid to make new potions. See Alchemy § Gem alchemy for details.

Encyclopedia entries

Gem or rock

The difference between false memories and true ones is the same as for jewels: it is always the false ones that look the most real, the most brilliant.

[ Salvador Dali ]

Agate

Translucent, cryptocrystalline variety of quartz and a subvariety of chalcedony. Agates are identical in chemical structure to jasper, flint, chert, petrified wood, and tiger's-eye, and are often found in association with opal. The colorful, banded rocks are used as a semiprecious gemstone and in the manufacture of grinding equipment. An agate's banding forms as silica from solution is slowly deposited into cavities and veins in older rock.

[ The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition ]

Amber

"Tree sap," Wu explained, "often flows over insects and traps them. The insects are then perfectly preserved within the fossil. One finds all kinds of insects in amber - including biting insects that have sucked blood from larger animals."

[ Jurassic Park, by Michael Crichton ]

Diamond

The hardest known mineral (with a hardness of 10 on Mohs' scale). It is an allotropic form of pure carbon that has crystallized in the cubic system, usually as octahedra or cubes, under great pressure.

[ A Concise Dictionary of Physics ]

The diamond, _adamas_ or _dyamas_, is a transparent stone, like crystal, but having the colour of polished iron, but it cannot be destroyed by iron, fire or any other means, unless it is placed in the hot blood of a goat; with sharp pieces of diamond other stones are engraved and polished. It is no greater than a small nut. There are six kinds, however Adamant attracts metal; it expels venom; it produces amber (and is efficacious against empty fears and for those resisting spells). It is found in India, in Greece and in Cyprus, where magicians make use of it. It gives you courage; it averts apparitions; it removes anger and quarrels; it heals the mad; it defends you from your enemies. It should be set in gold or silver and worn on the left arm. It is likewise found in Arabia.

[ The Aberdeen Bestiary, translated by Colin McLaren ]

Dilithium

The most famous and the first to be named of the imaginary "minerals" of Star Trek is dilithium. ... Because of this mineral's central role in the storyline, a whole mythology surrounds it. It is, however, a naturally occurring substance within the mythology, as there are various episodes that make reference to the mining of dilithium deposits.... This name itself is imaginary and gives no real information on the structure or make-up of this substance other than that this version of the name implies a lithium and iron-bearing aluminosilicate of some sort. That said, the real mineral that most closely matches the descriptive elements of this name is ferroholmquistite which is a dilithium triferrodiallosilicate. If one goes on the premise that nature follows certain general norms, then one could extrapolate that dilithium might have a similar number of silicon atoms in its structure.
Keeping seven (i.e. hepto) ferrous irons and balancing the oxygens would give a theoretical formula of Li2Fe7Al2Si8O27. A mineral with this composition could theoretically exist, although it is doubtful that it would possess the more fantastic properties ascribed to dilithium.

[ The Mineralogy of Star Trek, by Jeffrey de Fourestier ]

Emerald

'Put off that mask of burning gold
With emerald eyes.'
'O no, my dear, you make so bold
To find if hearts be wild and wise,
And yet not cold.'

'I would but find what's there to find,
Love or deceit.'
'It was the mask engaged your mind,
And after set your heart to beat,
Not what's behind.'

'But lest you are my enemy,
I must enquire.'
'O no, my dear, let all that be;
What matter, so there is but fire
In you, in me?'

[ The Mask, by W.B. Yeats ]

Jacinth stone

Sweet in the rough weather
  The voice of the turtle-dove-
'Beautiful altogether
  Is my Love.
  His Hands are open spread for love
And full of jacinth stones-
  As the apple-tree among trees of the grove
Is He among the sons.'

[ The Beloved, by May Probyn ]

Jade

Nothing grew among the ruins of the city. The streets were broken and the walls of the houses had fallen, but there were no weeds flowering in the cracks and it seemed that the city had but recently been brought down by an earthquake. Only one thing still stood intact, towering over the ruins. It was a gigantic statue of white, gray and green jade - the statue of a naked youth with a face of almost feminine beauty that turned sightless eyes toward the north.
"The eyes!" Duke Avan Astran said. "They're gone!"

[ The Jade Man's Eyes, by Michael Moorcock ]

Obsidian

A volcanic glass, homogeneous in texture and having a low water content, with a vitreous luster and a conchoidal fracture. The color is commonly black, but may be some shade of red or brown, and cut sections sometimes appear to be green. Like other volcanic glasses, obsidian is a lava that has cooled too quickly for the contained minerals to crystallize. In chemical composition it is rich in silica and similar to granite. It is favored by primitive peoples for knives, arrowheads, spearheads, and other weapons and tools.

[ The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition ]

Ruby and sapphire

_Corundum._ Mineral, aluminum oxide, Al2O3. The clear varieties are used as gems and the opaque as abrasive materials. Corundum occurs in crystals of the hexagonal system and in masses. It is transparent to opaque and has a vitreous to adamantine luster. [...] The chief corundum gems are the ruby (red) and the sapphire (blue).

[ The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition ]

Topaz stone

Aluminum silicate mineral with either hydroxyl radicals or fluorine, Al2SiO4(F,OH)2, used as a gem. It is commonly colorless or some shade of pale yellow to wine-yellow; [...] The stone is transparent with a vitreous luster. It has perfect cleavage on the basal pinacoid, but it is nevertheless hard and durable. The brilliant cut is commonly used. Topaz crystals, which are of the orthorhombic system, occur in highly acid igneous rocks, e.g., granites and rhyolites, and in metamorphic rocks, e.g., gneisses and schists.

[ The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition ]

Turquoise stone

TUBAL: There came divers of Antonio's creditors in my company to Venice that swear he cannot choose but break.
SHYLOCK: I am very glad of it; I'll plague him, I'll torture him; I am glad of it.
TUBAL: One of them showed me a ring that he had of your daughter for a monkey.
SHYLOCK: Out upon her! Thou torturest me, Tubal. It was my turquoise; I had it of Leah when I was a bachelor; I would not have given it for a wilderness of monkeys.

[ The Merchant of Venice, by William Shakespeare ]

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