State Gemstone
BenitoiteAlong with a state mineral (gold) and state rock (serpentine)California has a state gemstone, benitoite. This rare gemstone is also known as the “blue diamond” because of its deep shades of transparent blue color. One of over 3,000 known minerals, benitoite is classified as a barium titanium cyclosilicate.
Benitoite was first discovered in 1907 in the San Benito Mountains. Two years later, it was given the label benitoite by a UC Berkeley mineralogist who named the gemstone after the place where it was discovered. Since then, it has been mined by the Benitoite Mining Company. The rare gemstone is only found in a few places throughout the world. The California Legislature designated benitoite as the official State Gemstone in 1985.
(Assembly Bill 2357, Chapter 1365, 1985)
Explore our State Symbols
- Amphibian - Red Legged Frog
- Animal - California Grizzly Bear
- Bird - California Valley Quail
- Colors - Blue and Gold
- Dance - West Coast Swing
- Dinosaur – Augustynolophus Morrisi
- Fabric – Denim
- Fife and Drum Band – California Consolidated Drum Band
- Flag
- Flower – California Golden Poppy
- Folk Dance – Square Dance
- Fossil – Saber-Toothed Tiger
- Freshwater Fish – California Golden Trout
- Gemstone – Benitoite
- Gold Rush Ghost Town – Bodie
- Grass – Purple Needlegrass
- Historical Society
- Insect – California Dogface Butterfly
- LGBTQ Veterans Memorial
- Marine Fish – Garibaldi
- Marine Mammal – California Gray Whale
- Lichen – Lace Lichen
- Marine Reptile – Pacific Leatherback Sea Turtle
- Military Museum
- Mineral – Gold
- Motto – Eureka
- Nickname – Golden State
- Nuts: Almond, Walnut, Pistachio, Pecan
- Prehistoric Artifact
- Quarter
- Reptile – Desert Tortoise
- Rock – Serpentine
- Silver Rush Ghost Town – Calico
- Seal
- Soil – San Joaquin
- Song – “I Love You, California”
- Sport – Surfing
- Tall Ship – Californian
- Tartan
- Theater – Pasadena Playhouse
- Tree – California Redwood
- Vietnam Veterans Memorial
