Blog
The purpose of this blog is to present fun facts about the crystals that I feature in my jewelry. I will keep these posts brief and not too technical. I will describe the crystals, talk a bit about it's geology and chemistry, history and lore, uses by ancient people (and more modern ones too), locations where mined, and any other fun fact I can find. Metaphysical uses are listed with the pendant descriptions.
Tiger's eye March 2025
Tiger's eye is a popular gemstone that features alternating layers of golden brown to red brown bands that when hit with light reflect with a wavy, silky, shimmer that resembles a cat's eye. This is called chatoyancy.
Tiger's eye exhibits chatoyancy due to the inter-growth of nearly parallel quartz crystals and altered crocidolite fibers, especially limonite. Tiger's eye is composed of silicon dioxide (quartz) with fibrous inclusions of crocidolite, a form of asbestos.
There is considerable debate on how tiger's eye is formed. One theory is pseudomorphism, where one mineral is replaced by another. In this case the crocidolite is replaced by the quartz, while retaining crocidolites parallel, fibrous structure. The golden yellow red brown coloration comes from oxidizing iron turning into limonite.
The other theory involves the crack-seal vein-filling mechanism. This happens when quartz rich veins fracture forming a microscopic crack in the middle and upper crust. Water containing quartz and crocidolite enters the crack, and the quartz starts growing on the fracture's surfaces, surrounding minute pieces of crocidolite fibers.
There are different colors of tiger's eye. The golden tiger's eye is the most abundant.
Blue tiger's eye is also known as hawk's eye or falcon's tiger's eye. This coloration is caused by the crocidolite not being altered or oxidized into limonite, so it retains the blue coloring of the crocidolite.
Red tiger's eye is heat treated golden tiger's eye. Color change occurs as the limonite turns into hematite.
Black tiger's eye is very striking. It is black with golden veins and light blue veins running through it. I could not find much information about it. Most of the sources said it was natural and one source said it was not.
There are some other forms of tiger's eye and stones that contain tiger's eye.
Tiger iron has alternating bands of golden tiger's eye, red jasper, and metallic black hematite. It is found primarily in Western Australia's Pilbara region.
Marra Mamba tiger's eye is also from the Pilbara region. It was formed from iron rich sediments that were deposited in ancient seas. Millions of years later the sediments crystallized to form layers of hematite, magnetite, and jasper. The banded layers are red orange, silver and green in beautiful patterns. Some sources say that it was mined out a long time ago making it very rare and expensive.
Pietersite is a blue-gray, brownish red yellow to brown brecciated or fractured tiger's eye variety with crocidolite fibers. It is found in Namibia and China.
Historically, tiger's eye is a stone for protection and to ward off the evil eye. It was thought to be a symbol of strength, confidence, bravery, and good fortune.
Egyptians considered tiger's eye to be an "all seeing stone". Tiger's eye is associated with Ra, the sun-god and Geb, the god of the earth. Pharaohs wore tiger's eye jewelry believing it would grant them power, vitality, and strength. Tiger's eye is placed in Egyptian burial tombs to assist the dead in navigating the afterlife.
Roman soldiers wore tiger's eye for protection in battles. They believed it gave them the strength and patience of a tiger.
Indigenous peoples of S Africa, where tiger's eye is abundant, used it for protection from curses, ill desires, and evil spirits. Tiger's eye's grounding energy was worn to provide safety, abundance, stability, and balance.
For the people of India, tiger's eye is a stone of good fortune, prosperity, and success. It is also worn as a charm to protect against the evil eye and misfortune.
Highly prized in Europe during the middle ages, tiger's eye was used for protection against evil forces, psychic attack, and negative energy. It was also worn to provide physical protection. It was believed to offer good luck especially for those embarking on voyages and important life pursuits.
Tiger's eye was first discovered by Francois Levaillant in 1784 on the banks of the Orange river in S Africa. Today, the primary sources of tiger's eye are S Africa and Western Australia. Other sources are Burma, India, Namibia, USA, Brazil, Canada, and China. Blue tiger's eye is mined in Brazil, Namibia, India, and Canada.
Raw tiger's eye slab
Golden tiger's eye
Blue tiger's eye
Red tiger's eye
Black tiger's eye
Tiger iron
Pietersite
Malachite January 2025
Malachite is an opaque mineral known for its many shades of green, displayed in mesmerizing swirling and concentric band patterns. Nearly 58% of the stone is composed of copper giving malachite its green color. The beautiful green color and unique patterns make malachite a popular mineral for lapidary work, jewelry, and for carving ornamental objects.
Malachite forms under specific geological conditions and frequently occurs in regions where copper minerals are concentrated. It is composed primarily of copper carbonate hydroxide. It is often found alongside other copper minerals like azurite, chrysocholla, and cuprite which share similar formation conditions.
Malachite forms through weathering and oxidation of primary copper minerals such as chalcopyrite and bornite. When these minerals are exposed to oxygen, carbon dioxide, and water, it creates a chemical reaction that converts them into secondary copper minerals. Malachite can also be formed by hydrothermal activity where hot mineral rich fluids flow through fractures in rocks forming a vein deposit.
Malachite most often forms in botryoidal, fibrous, or stalagmite masses. It often occurs as a crust or coating on the surface of other rocks. Individual crystals are rare. Some fibrous malachite features tightly packed parallel needle-like arrangement of fibers which produce a chatoyant "cat's eye" effect when viewed from different angles.
Many cultures have a high regard for malachite. It has been used in protective amulets since ancient times.
Malachite was mined in Egypt as early as 4000 BCE to produce copper. It was cut for jewelry, carved into ornaments, and ground into pigment for painting and cosmetics (eye shadow). Malachite is found in paintings in Egyptian tombs.
Russian royals of the 19th century had dining sets, vases, sculptures, and paneling made from malachite. These are displayed in the "Malachite Room" in the Winter Palace at the Hermitage museum in St. Petersberg, Russia.
Victorian-era jewelers used malachite in carvings, beads, and cabochons set in silver and gold.
Malachite pigment was widely used in paintings produced throughout Europe in the 15th and 16th centuries.
Malachite is in the base of the FIFA world cup trophy.
Today, the most common sources of malachite are found in Democratic Republic of the Congo, Zambia, and Namibia in Africa. In the U.S., the southwestern states of Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah produce malachite. Sonora, Mexico has large deposits of malachite. It is also found in Australia, France, Chile, China, Morocco, and Kazakhstan.
Russia's Ural mountains was once a rich source of malachite but it is no longer mined there.
Raw malachite with chrysocolla
Polished malachite with chrysocolla
Fibrous malachite
Malachite carvings
Fibrous malachite with chatoyance
Malachite with chrysocolla
Variscite November 2024
Variscite is one of my favorite stones. It's color can range from a yellowish green to a blue green, often with black, white or gray matrix, forming interesting patterns. The color pattern varies and includes veins, webbing, splotches, and orbs.
Variscite is a hydrated aluminum phosphate mineral. It usually occurs in crystalline masses, nodules, veins, or cavity fillings. Variscite is a secondary mineral formed by deposits from phosphate bearing water reacting with aluminum rich rocks in a near surface environment. The green color comes from chromium and vanadium. It is often found in the same geographic areas as turquoise. One distinguishing characteristic is that turquoise contains copper and variscite does not.
Variscite was first discovered in 1837, in Variscia, now known as the Vogtland district of Germany. This is the origin of its name.
Since neolithic times, 6000 years ago, people have created jewelry from variscite. Beads carved from variscite discovered in Brittany, France, were called callais or callaina. Some of these beads came from Sardinia, Italy, the Sarrabus region. These artifacts may point towards a possible prehistoric gem trade network in Europe. It's use for beads and carvings continued during the bronze age and in Roman times.
Today, variscite is mined in Utah, Nevada, and Wyoming in the USA. It is also mined in Australia, Brazil, Germany, Poland, Spain, Italy, and the Yazd district in central Iran.
Variscite slab from Iran
Variscite cabochons
Yellow- green variscite beads
Variscite pendants
Labradorite October 2024
Labradorite is a gray stone often with black lines or streaks. Labradorite can display an iridescent optical effect, (labradorescense) when viewed from an angle. It is mostly described as "flash". Labradorite can flash in all colors, yellow, green, blue, purple, red, orange, gold and often in combination.
Labradorite is a complex interaction of geological processes involving magma, temperature, pressure, and chemical composition that contributes to its beauty and unique characteristics. Labradorite is a plagioclase feldspar mineral composed primarily of sodium and calcium aluminum silicate. It typically forms in igneous rocks as a result of the cooling and solidification of magma.
Labradorite was originally found at Ford Harbour, Paul Island, near the town of Nain, off the east coast of Labrador, Newfoundland. It was first documented in the late 1770's. Today it is mined in Australia, Costa Rica, Madagascar, Mexico, Norway, Russia, and the USA. Spectrolite, a variety only found in Finland, is very high quality, and very expensive. It flashes more purples, reds, and pinks.
Labradorite is often referred to as Northern Lights stone. Inuit and Innu (Montagnais-Naskapis) peoples believed labradorite was a fire stone produced by the Aurora Borealis. They believed it was frozen at the highest point in the air and then fell back to Earth. They also believed that labradorite is the guardian spirit of their ancestors, containing their wisdom and strength. They regarded it as a source of power and healing, making amulets and talismans for protection. This crystal became a symbol of guidance and served as a means to connect with their ancestors.
Another legend states that the flashing northern lights were all trapped in rocks along the Labrador coast. A mighty warrior freed the lights by hitting the rocks with his spear. Most of the lights were freed to flash across the wintry skies. But in a few places the lights remain trapped in the rocks, and can be seen in labradorite's shimmering colors.
In other cultures labradorite is considered a magical stone, believed to possess protective and mystical properties. It's been used by shamans and healers as a tool for connecting with the higher realms, enhancing spiritual growth, and seeking guidance.
