Charoite Pendant Bead | 39x33x8 to 43x33x10 | Purple | 1 Bead(s)
Purple Charoite Pendant Bead for Jewelry Making – great for pendants!
.Charoite is a rare silicate mineral, first described in 1978 and named for the Chara River. It has been reported only from the Aldan Shield, Sakha Republic, Siberia, Russia. It is found where a syenite of the Murunskii Massif has intruded into and altered limestone deposits producing a potassium feldspar metasomatite.
Charoite is translucent lavender to purple in color with a pearly luster. Charoite is strictly massive in nature, and fractures are conchoidal. It has an unusual swirling, fibrous appearance, sometimes chatoyant, and that, along with its intense color, can lead many to believe at first that it is synthetic or enhanced artificially.
Though reportedly discovered in the 1940s, it was not known to most of the world until its description in 1978. It is said to be opaque and unattractive when found in the field; a fact that may have contributed to its late recognition.
Charoite occurs in association with tinaksite and canasite.[4]
With light to medium dark purple colors and swirling patterns, charoite is one of the few gemstones so distinctive that a gemologist can make a sight identification with confidence. No other material is likely to be mistaken for it.
Like lapis lazuli, the gemstone we call charoite is actually a rock. However, it’s almost purely composed of the mineral charoite. This dominant mineral gives this material its distinctive range of purple colors, which can vary even within a single specimen. Its characteristic swirling pattern is due to its fibrous crystals arrayed in complex, interlocking patterns. The mix of other minerals includes prismatic orange tinaksite crystals, pale greenish grey microcline feldspar, and greenish black aegirine-augite crystals. As a result, this is a unique, highly ornamental rock. Due to this mixture, charoite also produces scenic stones, pieces that show so-called “natural pictures” that may resemble landscapes or even objects.
Quantity: 1 Bead(s)
Material Type: Charoite
Size: 39x33x8 to 43x33x10
Color: Purple
Legend: Chalcedony instills feelings of benevolence and generosity.
Origin: Russia
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NOTE: Images do not reflect number and size. Please see detail and table for information.
