Contents
Gemstone Information
Kunzite is the gem variety with pink color of the Spodumene mineral family, Spodumene is considered a common material, but it comes with transparency only from specific location.
It is the main and the most popular variety of Spodumene, another variety of Spodumene is called Hiddenite and display a nice green color.
Common Spodumene usually present yellow color or comes in colorless form.
Its name was given by the popular gemologist and mineralogist George Frederick Kunz who first identify it in the first years of the 20th century in United States, Kunz was at that time a very popular jeweler and colored gemstone expert, also hired by the Tiffany maison for his experience and competence.
It is considered a very young gemstone and only from 1990 it became popular and appreciated by the gem market and gem collectors.
Natural Kunzite comes with transparency and display an attractive pink color with different range of color tone and saturation.
Considered an evening stone, it can fade if exposed for long period at direct sun light, so be careful.
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Kunzite Healing Properties
Considered one of the February birthstone, it is assigned to the Pluto and Venus planet, it is considered a stone of balance, with metaphysical and healing properties.
Who believe in crystal therapy think that Kunzite bring good fortune, can help in human interactions and communication, helps to relieve heartache and heartbreak over separation, induce calm and peace of the mind, it strengthens heart and the circulatory system, enhances the treatment of depression and psychiatric disorders
Treatment
This gemstone variety comes usually with transparency and nice pink color without any treatment, but sometimes it can display some brownish tint in the crystal, so in this case it will be processed by heat treatment to enhance the natural pink color and eliminate the brownish tone, improving also the clarity of the stone.
Some pale pink or colorless Kunzite, in some rare case, can also be irradiated to enhance the tone and saturation of the natural pale pink color, obtaining a really attractive deeper violet pink color, that unfortunately will fade after few time if exposed to direct sun light.
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Origin and gemstone source
The most important deposits of this mineral are Pakistan, Afghanistan, Minas Gerais distric in Brazil, but this variety of Spodumene can also be mined in: Madagascar, Myanmar, Australia, United States, Canada, Russia, Mexico.
Optical Effect
Natural Kunzite stone exhibit strong pleochroism.
Images and photos
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Uses
The crystal variety presents usually nice transparency and an attractive delicate pink color so it is used often in jewelry, duo to its affordable price and beauty.
It is also an abundant material and can be mined in large size so often is faceted into large gemstone (faceting Kunzite is a difficult process and require a lot abilities from the cutter) can sometimes shaped and polished into cabochon or other shape with less value on the gem market, like: briolette, beads, rondelle, chips.
Considered a medium durable gemstone, with 6.5 – 7 on the Mohs scale of mineral hardness, Kunzite can be set in any kind of jewel like ring, pendant, bracelets and earrings.
Care and Cleaning
Kunzite like any other gemstone can chip and crack easily if hit heavily, so be careful when you wear it.
Take some care when you clean it, using only soapy water and dry it with soft cloth, instead of using aggressive products, avoid steam and ultrasonic machine, store it separately from other harder gemstones like Topaz, Sapphire, Diamonds .
Scam and Fraud
It comes in abundant and is not considered a very popular gemstone, so often is offered at very affordable price on the gem market, scam or fraud for this kind of gemstone are relatively rare.
Kunzite resemble some gemstone with higher value and more appeal, so sometimes can be sold for pink Sapphire, pink Spinel, pink Tourmaline, pink Topaz or Morganite.
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Gemological Info
- Mineral family: Spodumene
- Crystal: Monoclinic
- Density: 3.18
- Hardness: 7
- Refractive index: 1.660-1.680
- Optic Character: Biaxial positive
- Color: Pink, Lilac (with different tonalities and saturation)
- Luster: Vitreous
- Clarity: Transparent (Gem Type I)
- Fluorescent: Strong (yellow, orange)
- Fracture: Uneven
- Cleavage: Perfect prismatic
- Durability: Medium
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