Luc Yen

Luc Yen is Vietnam's premier gemstone district, situated in the mountainous north of the country and producing fine rubies and spinels from marble-hosted deposits. The rubies from Luc Yen display attractive purplish-red to pinkish-red colors with strong fluorescence, sometimes approaching the quality of Mogok stones. The district's spinels are equally noteworthy, occurring in a range of vivid colors from cobalt blue to hot pink.

Gemstone deposits in Luc Yen were first identified by Vietnamese geologists in the late 1980s, leading to a gem rush that transformed the remote mountain area. The district has since developed into Vietnam's most important colored gemstone producing region, with both artisanal and organized mining operations.