Charoite (rare)

Item Description

Charoite is a rare gem, most well-known from the Chara River in Eastern Siberia, Russia, which is where the species gets its name. It's a complex inosilicate species, and has a unique color and appearance, that is easy to recognize. To the best of my knowledge, crystallized specimens of Charoite are virtually non-existent, but the durability and beautiful color of the material make it a very desirable and value stone in the lapidary world. The vivid purple color of Charoite is due to manganese content, while the manganese deficient Charoite will have more of a grey-white hue. These stones are almost always opaque, but it's the vivid color that draws collectors. This material is relatively new to the market as it was only introduced to the west in 1978, where many other gems have been known for thousands of years. Typically, Charoite has multicolor banding and swirling which mixes purple and white streaks, but this stone is amazingly uniform in color, with only two black "speckles" on the dome. A beautiful, rare and colorful gem for any collection.