Surprisingly Kunzite was discovered in the United States, early in the twentieth century. Even its name has American roots: this pink gem variety of the mineral spodumene is named in tribute to George Kunz, the legendary gem scholar, gemologist, and gem buyer for Tiffany & Co at the turn of the century. The author of The Curious Lore of Precious Stones, Kunz searched the globe for old stories and legends about gems as he searched for new varieties and new deposits.

Kunzite was first found in Connecticut, USA. But the first commercially significant deposit was discovered in 1902 in the Pala region of California, where morganite beryl was also first discovered. The name was a brilliant marketing move: the miners named the gem after its most likely customer, Kunz. Morganite was named for the customer's customer: J.P. Morgan.

Today most kunzite is mined in Brazil, Afghanistan, and Madagascar. Kunzite is often found in association with morganite and pink tourmaline, the other popular pink gemstones.