Gem Library

BUYER’S OVERVIEW:
Benitoite is considered to be a semi-precious gemstone. Very limited in nature and available from only one spot on earth (San Benito County, California), Benitoite is among the 10 rarest gemstones on earth. While extremely rare, some 1-2 carat stones are available.

COLOR:
Blue to violet-blue, often zoned with light blue, colorless or white.

APPEARANCE:
Transparent to opaque, Benitoite is a Type II gemstone and is usually included.

SIZE RANGE:
0.01 - 1 carat, stones over 2 carats are very rare.

TYPICAL CUTTING STYLES:
Transparent: faceted, usually round, oval, trillion
Translucent: cabochons

POSSIBLE ENHANCEMENTS & TREATMENTS:
Benitoite has no known enhancements.

HARDNESS:
6 to 6½ on the Mohs scale.

BEST USE OF THE GEMSTONE:
Benitoite is not a strong gemstone and as such, earrings, pendants, pins, and tie tacks are probably the safest choice for this stone. Gemstone rings should be limited to occasional wear and the stones should be set with a protective setting.

CARE & CLEANING:
It is best to never expose colored gemstones to cleaning solvents or chemicals of any kind.

Common cleaning methods include:
Ultrasonic: never
Steamer: never (very heat sensitive)
Warm soapy water: safe
Reaction to Chemicals: can be damaged by acids.
Reaction to Heat: sensitive to rapid changes in temperature
Stability to Light: stable

INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT THIS GEMSTONE:
Benitoite was discovered in 1906 near the headwaters of the San Benito river in San Benito County, California. This gem fluoresces a brilliant blue under short wave UV light and in fact, to this day, gemstones are often found at night in or near the mine using UV light. Stones are typically very small as only the tips of the crystals are gem quality. The original mine was called the Dallas Gem Mine and this is the only known location where gem quality Benitoite is found. This makes Benitoite among the 10 most rare gems on earth. Benitoite became the official gemstone of California in 1985.

DESIGNATION:
Benitiote currently has no traditions associated with it.

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