Stones and minerals

“	It's a paragon diamond. You use them to conduct power.	”
	— Kol Mikaelson explaining the properties of diamonds to Davina Claire in Chasing the Devil's Tail

Stones and minerals are often used by witches as a vessel that they can imbue with their magic, in conjunction with their already existing magical properties. This could mean binding a spell, or enchanting the stone to serve a specific purpose.

They are sometimes incorporated into jewelry to be used by witches as a repository for magic, which can be channeled for additional power, these are typically known as talismans.

Throughout The Vampire Diaries Series

Amber

Although it is not a stone, but a resin, amber has the power to protect the witch who possesses it from evil influences. The most famous amber jewel in the series belonged to the famous witch Emily Bennett, which was the key ingredient for the spell that sealed the vampire's tomb. It was later inherited by her great-great-great-great-granddaughter Bonnie before being destroyed by Emily, who had taken possession of the body of her young descendant, and used her (or her own) magic to destroy the stone.

Lapis Lazuli

It is a stone of varying hues of blue already known to the ancient Egyptians. Its name means "sky stone," from the Latin "lapis" meaning "stone" and the Persian "lazward" meaning "blue" or "sky." Lapis Lazuli, when enchanted and embedded in jewelry, it will protect vampires from sunlight, allowing them to walk in the day without being burned. In the novels, these amulets and rings are interchangeable and can be successfully used by any vampire who touches it, regardless of the owner. However, in the Template:The Vampire Diaries, the amulets must be enchanted by a witch for a specific vampire, and will not work for any other user unless it is re-enchanted for its new owner. In both series, however, the vampire is protected as long as he or she has it on their body, whether they are wearing it or holding it in their hands. The daylight amulet spell was originally invented by the Original Witch, Esther Mikaelson, to protect her newly-turned husband and children from the effects of the sun. This spell was eventually passed along to other witches, and now many vampires have such amulets, allowing them to not only walk in the day, but to avoid suspicion of being vampires from ordinary humans.

Moonstone

The moonstone was a translucent, milky-colored, flat ovoid gemstone that was described as being approximately "the size of a hockey puck." However, it resembled milk quartz more so than true moonstone. It was introduced in Season Two as one of the key ingredients to destroy The Hybrid Curse, which suppressed Niklaus Mikaelson's werewolf side, and prevented him from being a true hybrid until the curse was broken. Both quartz and moonstone represent the purity and clarity of mind and spirit. The stone was enchanted by Esther Mikaelson, who channeled the power of Tatia's doppelgänger blood to help bind the curse.

Silas' Tombstone

An ancient tombstone containing the powerful witch Qetsiyah's calcified blood that, in some circles of witches, was believed to be very valuable due to its ability to act as a power source for spells. As demonstrated in the course of the series, the magic contained in this stone can be used for many magical purposes, including dropping The Veil between the living world and The Other Side within a specific area, without needing the power of a Full Moon, or replacing a witch's magic after they had relinquished their own. Both Bonnie Bennett and Malachai Parker used this stone (and the magic-laced blood within it) to transport themselves out of the Prison Worlds and back into the living world.

Phoenix Stone

An ancient red, round-cut gemstone with several veins within, that is used to house and contain countless vampire souls. The stone is paired with a shortsword which, when affixed to the hilt of the sword, can then be used to trap a vampire's soul by stabbing the blade in a vampire's heart. Vampire souls within the stone that have been placed back in bodies that are not their own, will experience confusion, retrograde amnesia, and an insatiable bloodlust. Known vampires who have been trapped within the stone's prison are Julian, Ambrose, Florence, the spirit who temporarily possessed Oscar, and most recently, Beau, Damon and Stefan As on events of Days of Future Past the stone had been destroyed by Nora and Mary Louise and souls trapped inside have been released.

Throughout The Originals Series

Kyanite

Kyanite, in particular, black kyanite, is a semi-precious stone that can be used to enchant the werewolf counterpart of a daylight amulet known as a Moonlight Amulet. When embedded into jewelry, it allows a werewolf to control their curse, preventing them from being forced to transform on a full moon, and allowing them access to the full potential of their abilities in werewolf form, such as augmented strength and speed, along with the ability to produce venomous bites at will regardless of the moon phase. This spell, like that of daylight jewelry, is contained in Esther's Grimoires. In real life, kyanite is believed to transmit and amplify high-frequency energies, making it a great stone for attunements and meditation. Kyanite also brings a calming, tranquilizing energy to the body.

Paragon Diamond

Diamond3 — Kaleb (Kol) with a perfect Paragon Diamond

The diamond, in particular, a paragon diamond, is a key object to the practice of Kemiya. It is able to connect and help two witches link with each other to produce Dark Objects.

Additionally, it acts as a focus for power, thereby enhancing the potency of a witch's magic. The amount of power channeled appears to be relative to the size of the diamond, and the skill level of the witch in question. The Dowager Fauline had a large paragon diamond that she had inherited, which was eventually stolen by Kol Mikaelson. It was last seen in the possession of Davina Claire.

Moss Agate

As a wedding gift, Jackson gave Hayley a pendant made with a moss agate stone. According to Jackson, this stone is associated with the full moon that was present on Hayley's birthday, making it her mineral totem.

As in the real crystal therapy, moss agate symbolizes healing and courage within the Template:The Vampire Diaries and Template:The Originals universe.

Freya's Talisman

A mysterious and ancient artifact that has lasted for 1,000 years, Freya Mikaelson's talisman has a pendant with a translucent blue crystal, that glows from within when it is driven by particular spells. It is a powerful talisman that specializes in soul manipulation. and focusing Freya's magic when performing spells. The talisman housed the spirit of Freya's brother, Finn Mikaelson. Freya has been shown to use the talisman to communicate with her brother. It was recently stolen by Tristan de Martel and The Strix, though later recovered.

However, as of now, it is unknown what kind of stone it is, maybe blue kyanite, sodalite, benitoite, azurite, blue sapphire or tanzanite.

La Gemme Vital

The Gemme Vital, also known as the Lifeblood Stone, is a smooth, dark green, pill-shaped stone, etched with florescent green runes that the Ancestors use to punish spirits on the Ancestral Plane. The stone coupled with the spell derives a fate worse than death by shredding said ancestral spirit into pieces. Kara used this stone to destroy Davina's spirit in the Ancestral Plane. It is the ultimate punishment for witch spirits who have wronged the ancestors. This stone, however, does not work on vampire spirits as they are too stained with dark magic.

Trivia

Breaking the bond between a spell and a talisman is often a tedious task, as each talisman is unique.
All the most powerful witches have been shown to possess a talisman made of a precious stone either wholly or partially.
- Qetsiyah's Talisman was made of bone had some stone pendants.
- Emily's Talisman consisted of an amber crystal, affixed in an iron setting.
- Esther's Talisman has a small ruby or other red stone embedded in the silver pendant.
- Dahlia was once shown to possess a prayer bead with dark stones.
- Freya's Talisman has a clear blue stone pendant with a silver setting.
- Dominic was shown several times with a prayer bead with dark stones around his wrist.
Although vampires technically exist against the will of Nature, there aren't any known repercussions to them as a result of their use of a natural object such as lapis lazuli.
Besides stones and minerals, metals also play an important role in the series, primarily gold and silver, the materials of which the White Oak Ash Daggers were created with the intention of neutralizing an Original Vampire. In real life, silver and gold (as well as it's alloy, "electrum") have been believed throughout history to possess a great capacity for conducting magic.