What is Paraiba Tourmaline? Is there "Paraiba" Apatite, Quartz, Fluorite etc.?

For awhile now, I've been seeing a lot of jewelry on etsy (and elsewhere) that is made with "Paraiba" gemstones.  I've seen Paraiba Quartz, Paraiba Apatite, Paraiba Opal, Paraiba crystals, as well as Paraiba Tourmaline.

But what is "Paraiba"?  

In 1989, in Paraiba, Brazil, a beautiful blue Tourmaline was found.  This blue was unlike anything else---an electric blue, almost neon, sometimes called "swimming pool blue" and it seemed like it was lit from within.  It has a dazzling turquoise to green color range.   Tourmaline is a gemstone that is found in a rainbow of colors---yellows, reds, greens, black, blue---but this was special.  This beautiful turquoise blue color was due to the presence of copper and manganese.  Because of variations in the amount of copper in Paraiba Tourmaline, it can range from vivid turquoise to emerald green colors.  More manganese results in violet to red colors of tourmaline.

Paraiba Tourmaline Trillion

When this Paraiba Tourmaline was introduced to the marketplace in 1990, it was immediately in huge demand.  The demand was far greater than the supply.  Meanwhile, in Africa, around 2001, very similar Tourmaline was found that was also a vivid blue color, although just a tiny bit lighter.  It was called "Paraiba Tourmaline" even though it wasn't mined in Brazil.  This helped supply the marketplace with the demand for this blue tourmaline.  After much consideration, it was determined by the gemstone community that Tourmaline that matched the color and had  copper and manganese present could be called "Paraiba Tourmaline".

Tourmaline is a specific gemstone.  It is NOT quartz, it is NOT topaz, NOT fluorite, it is NOT Apatite, it certainly isn't Opal or glass.  Paraiba Tourmaline is extremely rare and very expensive.

Then what is Paraiba Apatite or Quartz etc.? 

"Paraiba Quartz" on Etsy--is GLASS

There is no such thing!  Because of the popularity of Paraiba Tourmaline, sellers are using the term "paraiba" to describe pretty much anything that is blue.  Apatite is blue, but it's not tourmaline.

I just did a search on Etsy for "Paraiba" and 853 results turned up.  While there are some true Paraiba Tourmalines and some "Paraiba Like Tourmalines", there are also "Paraiba Fluorite", "Paraiba Topaz", Paraiba Opal", "Paraiba Quartz", all in different colors of blues.  And that's just on page ONE!  I didn't bother to look at any other pages on Etsy.

"Paraiba Apatite" on Etsy

This is simply "creative marketing".  Sellers are using the term Paraiba to grab your attention and make you believe you're getting something of great quality.  Sorry, but only Paraiba TOURMALINE should be called Paraiba.  Honest sellers would say something like, "Paraiba color" if they must use the term at all to describe Apatite or other stones.

What Are "Precious Metals" In Jewelry?

Today on etsy I saw a listing for a gold plated ring.  The seller said---right at the top of the listing--that this was a "Precious Metal" ring...except it said "24k Gold Plated".  There was no mention of the underlying metal, which could have been anything but was probably brass.

Is this really a "precious metal ring" in any way?

The short answer:  NO

What Are Precious Metals?

A precious metal is a rare, naturally occurring metallic chemical element of high economic value.  Precious metals have historically been used in currency (coins) and have a high value.

Precious metals are only Gold, Silver and the Platinum group of metals (such as Palladium and Rhodium).

What Are Precious Metals In Jewelry?

Pure 24k Gold and 99.9% Fine Silver are too soft to be used in jewelry, so other metals are alloyed with the gold or silver to make them hard enough to hold gemstones, hold their shape, and resist scratching and bending.  Karat Gold (10k, 14k, 18k, 22k, 24k) is considered precious in jewelry.  Sterling Silver and Fine Silver are also considered precious metals in jewelry. Platinum, being an extremely rare and expensive metal, is the ultimate precious metal.

What About Metals Plated With 24k Gold?

When base metals, including brass, are plated with gold or rhodium, they are NOT considered "precious metals".  They are simply base metals that have been flashed with a very thin layer of gold.

Often in jewelry, a ring or other piece of jewelry will be described simply as "gold plated" or "rhodium plated".  The underlying metal could be tin, aluminum, brass, copper, nickel, zinc...or could even be plastic.  Coating something with gold, whether it's 24k gold or 14k gold plated, does not make that item "precious".

What About Gold Vermeil?

Vermeil is gold plated Sterling Silver or Fine Silver----all precious metals.  It must have a certain amount of gold (14k or higher) plated on the silver, as mandated by the FTC. So yes, Vermeil is considered "precious".

What About Gold Filled Jewelry?

Gold Filled, or "rolled gold" or "rolled gold plate", is brass or copper that has a thin layer of karat gold that's mechanically bonded or heat-fused to one or both sides of the base metal, then rolled out into sheets to create jewelry.  The thickness of the gold layer can vary, but must be 5% (or 1/20th) of the total weight.  In other words, gold filled jewelry is 95% base metal with 5% karat gold (which itself is a percentage of pure gold), which is a considerably larger amount of gold than found on other plated brass.  This means it will provide the look of gold for a longer time than other gold plated brass pieces. Still, it's not considered a precious metal, since it is 95% brass or copper.

"London Blue Quartz" -- What is it? NOT a Gemstone!

Let me get straight to the point:  The ONLY "London Blue" gemstone is topaz.  That is IT.

I've written about Quartz gemstones before.  Specifically, I've written about the unbridled fraud and misinformation in the jewelry marketplace regarding hydroquartz, or quartz that is sold as "aquamarine quartz", "tanzanite quartz", "Swiss Blue quartz" and other supposed quartz which has familiar sounding gemstone names.

Today I noticed a LOT of so-called "London Blue Quartz" in jewelry.  Please know that there is NO SUCH GEMSTONE as a blue quartz that is crystal clear, no matter what it's called.   There are mystic coated clear quartz stones (aqua aura), but no synthetic (created) blue quartz. 

I've also noticed that most of this "quartz" is sold on Etsy, and some on Ebay.

What Forms of Quartz are Gemstones? 

Quartz is the second most abundant mineral on earth (the first being feldspar).  It's a beautiful crystal clear mineral (known as Rock Crystal or Pure Quartz) that comes in a wide variety of colors which occur due to impurities.  When it's purple, we call it Amethyst; when golden yellow, it's Citrine; milky to nearly transparent pink is called Rose Quartz; deep brown is known as Smoky Quartz; Aventurine is a green semi-translucent stone that resembles jade.  Chalcedony and Agate are forms of Quartz.  In fact, there are more variety names given to Quartz than any other mineral.  There is also Rutilated Quartz (with golden needles or rutiles within the quartz) and Tourmalinated Quartz (with tourmaline rutiles).  There is even a form of cat's eye quartz that is usually greyish with a very week "cat's eye" effect. 

As a gemstone, Quartz is often enhanced.  Prasiolite, or "green amethyst", is produced when heating certain forms of Amethyst.  Amethyst itself is often heat treated to enhance the purple color.  Almost all forms of Citrine are produced by heat-treating amethyst.  Mystic quartz is synthetically colored by irradiating gold.

What About Blue Quartz?

Blue Quartz exists, but is never clear like topaz.  It is called Blue Chalcedony, and is an opaque stone.


What is the "Blue Quartz" that is clear, on Etsy?

It is most likely glass, or fused glass, fused silica, or fused quartz.  None of these is a gemstone, in that they aren't minerals.  Just glass.

Aside from blue Chalcedony (which is a milky stone), there is a very rare form of Blue Quartz called Dumortierite.  Other than that, there is "aqua aura quartz" which is clear quartz that has been irradiated with gold.

How About Hydro Quartz?

Actual Hydro Quartz is a synthetic crystal that is made in labs for the electronics industry.  It's not produced for jewelry.

What about all the Hydro Quartz Sold as Gemstones?

That is GLASS.  The briolettes and so-called "blue quartz gemstones" that you find ALL over Etsy, etc., are nothing more than manufactured GLASS.  They are not gemstones.  They are not quartz.  They are beautiful and sparkling clear manufactured glass stones that are produced all over the world, specifically in China and India, where they are known as "Hydroquartz Glass".  Somehow the word "glass" is dropped when marketing these pieces here in the U.S.  As I wrote in my previous post about this, gemologists and independent labs have analyzed many pieces of  "hydroquartz gems" and all of it turned out to be glass.

What About London Blue Quartz?  Tanzanite Quartz?

None of these are any variety of the gemstone Quartz.  These are glass.  NOT a gemstone.

What About Emerald Quartz? Sapphire Quartz?

This is interesting.  Because the green or blue dye used to color enhance gemstones isn't stable or results in uneven or unstable colors, a different method is used to produce "Emerald Quartz" and "Sapphire Quartz".  Aside from the glass "hydro" versions of this stone, these stones are made by cutting a piece of clear Rock Quartz in half, and then gluing the pieces back together with a thin layer of dyed glue.  So the color you are seeing is actually the tinted GLUE which is sandwiched between two pieces of clear quartz.

What's a Quartz Doublet?

Just like the Emerald Quartz and Sapphire Quartz above, a clear quartz gem is cut in half and then re-assembled with tinted glue.  The result is a beautiful quartz gemstone that looks vibrant and colorful and is only revealed to be a doublet when immersed in water. 

How Do I Know What I'm Buying?

If you are purchasing from an honest seller, whether on Etsy or Ebay or online, just ask.  I purchase my stones directly from Rio Grande Jewelry Supply, which is a jewelers' supply store and VERY reputable and trusted by jewelers all over the world.  If you visit their site (riogrande.com), they describe Emerald Quartz and Sapphire Quartz more clearly and in more detail---and they divulge that it's the colored glue that gives the clear blue or clear green color of quartz.  Rio Grande sells ALL kinds of natural gemstones, synthetic (created) gemstones, and diamond simulants such as CZ and Moissanite.  They do NOT sell any "hydro quartz".  In fact, if you search Rio Grande for "blue quartz", only druzy stones and "doublets" are found.  You can view this at http://www.riogrande.com/Search/blue-quartz


An educated consumer is a good thing!  Buyer beware.  Don't think that because someone has sold a lot of jewelry on Etsy or they charge a lot for a piece of hydroquartz jewelry that it's a gemstone.  Hydroquartz is NOT a gemstone.  If you love the look of a beautiful, crystal-clear blue stone, enjoy wearing it!  But understand that it's not a true gemstone, and has no intrinsic value.   Most of all, remember this:

There is no such thing as a clear (non-milky) type of Blue Quartz!  Aside from the adhesive-tinted doublets, there is NO BLUE QUARTZ that is crystal clear, or called London Blue or Sky Blue or Aquamarine or Tanzanite or Swiss Blue.  Those are manufacturer's names of glass products.  They are taking well-known names of Topaz or Beryl or other gemstones to FOOL consumers into believing they are buying a gemstone.  IT IS NOT. 

Sterling Silver, Rhodium Plating, and Ring Sizing

What Exactly is Sterling Silver?

Since pure silver, also known as "fine silver",  is much too soft to be used in rings and other jewelry, an alloy is mixed with the metal to harden it.  Usually this is copper.  The result is a beautiful and sturdy metal that has the beauty of Fine Silver, but is now Sterling Silver.   By law, a piece that is sold as Sterling Silver will be 92.5% pure silver plus 7.5% copper, and will then be stamped ".925" or "S925" or "Sterling Silver".  Only actual Sterling Silver will bear the ".925" Sterling stamp. It is illegal under title 15, chapter 8 of the Code of Federal Regulations to in any way represent an item as sterling if it is not.

Other metals can be used in place of copper as an alloy.  These other alloys are used to help eliminate tarnish.  These metals include zinc, platinum and germaium (known as "Argentium Sterling Silver"), and even silicon and boron.

Is there a difference between Sterling Silver from Tiffany's and Other Stores?

No.  All Sterling Silver is 92.5% fine silver plus 7.5% alloy.  The metal is the same, 92.5% fine silver plus an alloy.  The difference is only in the design of the piece.

Does Sterling Silver Tarnish? What about Fine Silver?

Chemically, pure silver is not very reactive—it does not react with oxygen or water at ordinary temperatures, so does not easily form a silver oxide, which we see as tarnish. However, it is attacked by common components of atmospheric pollution---silver sulfide forms as a black tarnish while exposed to airborne compounds of sulfur (byproducts of the burning of fossil fuels and some industrial processes), and low-level ozone reacts to form silver oxide.  With Sterling Silver, the problem of corrosion or tarnishing increases because other metals in the alloy, usually copper, may react with oxygen in the air.

Sources of sulphur, which cause tarnishing,  include sweat, wool, carpeting, felt, eggs, leather, latex, and various other sources, so limiting exposure to them can help. Avoid bleach or chlorine---even the fumes will cause tarnishing.  Storing your silver in an airtight container with activated charcoal or commercial anti-tarnish strips is a good way to prevent tarnish when storing your jewelry. 

Tarnish begins as a yellow tinge to the metal, and becomes darker until it eventually is black.

To clean tarnish off of Sterling jewelry, a swipe with a treated jewelry cloth for Sterling Silver will remove most tarnish.  Sometimes a quick dip in jewelry cleaner liquid will remove tarnish from intricate silver work, but always immediately wash the piece off in warm water with a little dish soap, and dry with a soft cloth.  Do not use the liquid cleaner on jewelry with pearls, coral, or other gemstones!

Why is Sterling Silver sometimes Rhodium Plated?

Rhodium, which is a very hard (and brittle) metal in the Platinum group of precious metals, is electroplated onto Sterling Silver for a few reasons:  it helps prevent tarnishing, it helps prevent corrosion, it protects the silver from scratching or marring; it gives a very bright and shiny finish; and gives the sterling the look of white gold.  Why? Because white gold is gold mixed with alloys, but is still slightly yellow.  Plating white gold with Rhodium gives the bright, shiny, platinum look that is desired in white gold jewelry.

Rhodium is plated onto sterling silver rings for durability as well as beauty.

Sometimes the layer of Rhodium on jewelry is quite thick, but often the Rhodium layer is an extremely thin layer of metal that is electroplated over the silver or gold.  It will eventually wear off.  Rhodium plated rings especially will need to be replated after several years of wear.

►► CAN I RESIZE MY RHODIUM PLATED STERLING SILVER RING?◄◄

Certainly, it CAN be resized, but should it be?  The short answer is NO, I don't recommend that.  There are several reasons why.  First, in order to plate Rhodium over Sterling Silver, another metal or two must be plated onto the Sterling so the Rhodium adheres, and without contaminating the Rhodium solution.  There are three methods to plate silver:

     1.  First Copper, then Nickel,  then Rhodium.  (This is most common)
     2.  First Palladium, then Rhodium.
     3.  Rhodium straight onto Sterling Silver.

The first two are done in that order because the Rhodium solution is sensitive to copper and will loose its bright plating ability if it is contaminated by base metals, especially copper. 
If one plates straight onto Sterling Silver, then copper in the silver alloy will, after a short time, degrade the solution and the plating will be dark.

Additionally, the Rhodium layer is very hard and brittle, and cutting the band will possibly result in the shattering of the Rhodium layer, revealing the nickel or copper layer underneath.  A skilled silversmith (NOT the jeweler at the mall) can successfully cut through the band and adjust the size and replate the ring---but this can be costly and can also undermine the integrity of the original ring.

A skilled jeweler or preferably a silversmith might be able to "stretch" the ring slightly using a mandrel, but that depends on the thickness of the band and the setting itself, and would need to be discussed with your jeweler first.

Why can't a jeweler use a laser or heat the band?

Different metals melt at different temperatures.  Rhodium, on the outside of a ring band, is an incredibly hard metal, with one of the highest melting points of all metals.  Copper or nickel, plated between the Rhodium and the Sterling Silver, is much softer, although harder than Sterling.  Sterling Silver is an alloy of soft silver and copper.  The melting points of these metals are:

             Rhodium...................3571 °F
             Copper.....................1981 °F
             Nickel...................... 2651 °F
             Sterling Silver............1651 °F

If Rhodium were heated to the point where it would melt or even soften to cut, the underlying metals would all liquify.  If done by an inexperienced person, this would create a mess, and probably ruin the ring.

Is there a way to test metal to see if it's Sterling Silver? 
Yes:
(1)  First, does it have the "925" or "Sterling" marks somewhere?   If it does, then it is sterling silver.  Sometimes Sterling Silver isn't marked, or the markings have worn off.  Often, vintage pieces and Native American jewelry is also not marked.  Clean your piece to remove any tarnish or dirt and inspect it carefully for any hallmarks or maker's marks.
(2) Then check:  Is it magnetic?  Sterling Silver contains no metals that would be attracted to a magnet, so if it is, it's probably Stainless Steel or some other metal.  Use a strong Neodymium magnet.
(3)  Next, if it's not Rhodium plated, you can try purchasing a test kit.  A small scratch can be made in an inconspicuous spot and a drop of Nitric Acid applied.  This will ruin the ring, so often the metal is rubbed onto a "touchstone" and the Nitric Acid is applied to that touchstone rubbing.  You will have to analyze the color that appears as the acid sinks into the piece. Be sure to follow the instructions and color scale of your specific silver test. In general, the color scale is as follows:

• Bright Red: Fine Silver
• Darker Red: 925 Silver
• Brown : 800 Silver
• Green : 500 Silver
• Yellow: Lead or Tin
• Dark brown: Brass
• Blue: Nickel

(4) A less invasive method and quite simple is the "bleach test".  Silver tarnishes extremely quickly when exposed to bleach (or ammonia, but that takes longer).  Simply place a drop of bleach on your item and if it quickly turns black, that is tarnish and the piece is silver.  You can then polish the piece and remove the tarnish.
(5) Take it to a professional--a reputable jeweler, a silversmith, an appraiser--who can determine if it's sterling silver, and maybe give more information about any maker's marks or hallmarks on the piece, and its value.
****************************

I would recommend that if you are buying a ring, such as a vintage ring, that is Rhodium plated, buy the ring in the proper size!  Don't expect to take any ring that has been Rhodium plated to a jeweler to size it.  The results will most likely not be good, or even disastrous. 

Gemstone ❤ ZIRCON v. Cubic Zirconia

Clear Zircon

Zircon is a mineral, a naturally-occurring gemstone.  It's a beautiful gemstone and doesn't get a lot of "love" from the public because people are often confused by the name Zircon---it is very close to "Cubic Zirconia" or CZ, which is a man-made stone.  They both contain the element Zirconium, but Zircon is naturally-occurring and a CZ is made in a lab.  Very confusing!

The colorless variety of Zircon is the natural element that most resembles diamonds.  Zircon also has a wonderful refraction which gives the gemstone lots of fire.  It can also seem to have more than one color.  This effect is called pleochroism.  It has a Mohs hardness of 6.5, and its strong luster and intense fire makes it a very beautiful NATURAL alternative to a Diamond.  (Please note: Moissanite is NOT a natural mineral, but is created in a lab, as is Cubic Zirconia.)

White Zircon

The word Zircon comes from the Persian word "zirgun" which means "gold", which makes sense since the majority of Zircons are a brownish gold color.  Zircon is associated with granite.  It's made of Zirconium Silicate.

Blue Zircon

Zircon is found in a variety of colors:  white, colorless, blue, green, red, yellow, orange, brown, pink, purple, grey, and black.  Blue and clear zircon are used the most in jewelry and are heat treated.  Heating the Zircon will increase its transparency, and change colors.  Heating brown or grey zircon in an oxygen-free environment will yield blue gemstones.  Heating them in an environment with oxygen yields a golden brown transparent color.  Almost all blue and colorless zircon are heat treated.

Trade Names:

- Starlight:  a blue gem variety of Zircon; heated
- Matura Diamond:  trade name for colorless Zircon
- Jargon - colorless, pale grey or pale yellow Zircon
- Jacinth - yellow, orange, brown or red Zircon; name goes back to Biblical times.
- Seiland Zircon - dark red Zircon from Norway

Red Zircon

Where is it found?

Cambodia, Burma, Sri Lanka, Australia, Mozambique, Tanzania, Madagascar, Nigeria, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Italy, France, Germany, Russia, Canada, United States

Similar Gemstones:

Colorless - resembles Diamonds, and also CZ.  It is distinguishable by its hardness and double refraction.
Blue - resembles Blue Topaz, Aquamarine, Blue Spinel, Tourmaline, Apatite
Golden Brown - resembles Topaz, Citrine, Sapphire, Garnet
Yellow - resembles Heliodor (Golden Beryl), Sapphire, Canary Diamond, Chrysoberyl, Topaz
Pink Zircon - resembles Topaz, Morganite, Kunzite, Spinel, and Rose Quartz

Golden Yellow Zircon

The luster, fire, hardness, and double refraction make Zircon distinguishable from other gemstones.

OPALITE: Not a Gemstone! Not Dolomite or Quartz! It's GLASS

Opalite - GLASS

I'm constantly amazed at the "creativity" of online sellers, and that includes wholesale companies in China and Thailand and all over the world, and sellers on Etsy and Ebay and other online sites.  Too bad this creativity is used to scam buyers---it hurts everyone, from honest sellers to naive buyers.


Opalite is a beautiful "stone" that can be purchased all over, and Michael's (the crafts supply store) has a LOT of it.  It's clearly marked on their tags as "Opalite GLASS" because that's what it is---it's GLASS.  It's very inexpensive (about $5 a strand not on sale).  It's not a gemstone, not made from other gemstones, or any mineral.  It is a glass product.  It is a beautiful glass, but glass nontheless.  I wrote about Opalite last year (HERE) because I was seeing it being sold as "Moonstone" or "Opal" which is a terrible thing to do---it's not any sort of gemstone!  I explained how and where it's made in that blog post.

In my Etsy feed today, I saw an object for sale called "Opalite Gemstone".  In reading the description, the seller goes on to say it's sometimes called Sea Opal, Tiffany Stone*, Opalized Glass, Opal Quartz, and other names.  This makes it seem as though Opalite is correctly called other names----when, in fact, those are just manufacturers' brand names that are given to Opalite EXPRESSLY to mislead the public.  There is no such gemstone as "Sea Opal" or "Opal Moonstone".  And Opalite is NOT quartz!

*There IS a stone called "Tiffany Stone", which is actually a stone mined in Utah seen in varying shades of

So-Called Tiffany Stone: NOT Opalite!

dark purple, lavender and creamy white with swirls of dark and light yellowish brown and pink areas takes a high polish as a cabochon.  It has NOTHING to do with Opalite!!  It was used by Tiffany in some jewelry at one time so it's been dubbed that name.  So to refer to Opalite as this gemstone---well, that's really beyond "creative".



But beyond that, they go on to describe it as a "glass resin" that is made with the actual mineral Dolomite plus metals!

I googled "Opalite+Dolomite" and can see that this particular description (Opalite made with Dolomite) is often used in the wiccan jewelry world, and therefore gives Opalite (which is ONLY glass) mystical healing properties.  Plus, a lot of people might think, "Oooh, Dolomite...so it IS a gemstone" since the name Dolomite sounds very technical and mysterious, until you know what Dolomite is!

In other words, it's a scam.

WHAT IS DOLOMITE?

Dolomite is a very common rock similar to limestone and is comprised of calcium magnesium carbonate.  These rocks were originally deposited as calcium carbonate muds that were post-depositionally altered by magnesium-rich pore water to form dolomite. It is the primary component of Dolomitic Marble and Dolomitic Limestone.  Dolomite has a Mohs hardness of 3.5.

Dolomite Marble 2" Piece

Dolomite Aggregate 1/2" pieces

Dolostone is used extensively in the construction industry. It is crushed and used to pave roads, as an aggregate in concrete and asphalt, and is used in making cement.  Dolomite is used in the production of bricks, glass and ceramics.  Because it is soft and is filled with "gaps" or "holes" within the rock, it is targeted by the oil and gas industry because these holes can be filled with natural gas or oil.

WHY WOULD DOLOMITE (Paving Gravel!)  BE USED TO MAKE OPALITE GLASS?

Simple answer:  it wouldn't, and it isn't.


If you'd like to read more about Opalite, please visit my post about it HERE.

Gem Love: SCAPOLITE

Yellow Scapolite

Scapolite is a gemstone that is very rare, and not well-known.  It comes in many colors, such as white, pink, grey, greenish, yellow, brown, and violet, and even blue.   The most common color is a bright honey-yellow. 

The name Scapolite comes from the Greek "skapos", meaning "shaft" due to its long, prismatic crystals.

Scapolite Crystal

Scapolite can easily be confused with Amethyst, Citrine, Chrysoberyl, and Golden Beryl.  But those gems are much harder than Scapolite.

Heat Treated Lavender Scapolite

Lavender Scapolite is heat treated, and unstable (the color will fade when exposed to sunlight).

Scapolite is a soft stone, similar to Opal.  It has a Mohs hardness of about 5.5 to 6.  It's most suitable to pendants and earrings.

Very small pockets of Scapolite can be found in the US and around the world.  Gemstone sources are found in Minas Gerias, Brazil; Madagascar, Tanzania, Canada, Switzerland and Burma.  It can also be found in Mt. Vesuvius, Italy and in Norway and Mexico.

Luster is vitreous on freshly exposed crystals or surfaces but weathering causes a dulling of the luster, due to the softness of the stone.  Scapolite will often fluoresce either orange, yellow or more rarely red under ultraviolet light---quartz and beryl minerals will not. Associated minerals include the garnet minerals almandine and andradite, actinolite, microcline, pyroxenes, apatite, andalusite, zircon, sphene, diopside and muscovite.

Cat's Eye Scapolite

Gemstone-quality scapolite usually exhibits excellent transparency. Some of the less transparent material will exhibit chatoyancy or the cat's eye effect when cut as cabochons. Cat's eye stones are rather rare and desirable as they tend to have exceptionally sharp eyes.

Wernerite, 'Pink Moonstone', Lavender Cat's Eye Scapolite, Violet Cat's Eye Scapolite, Pink Cat's Eye Scapolite, Mizzonite, Dipyre, Marialite and Meionite are lesser known gemstone trade names and mineral associations.