Gem Library

BUYER’S OVERVIEW:
Charoite is considered to be a semi-precious gemstone and while its availability is limited, good size, clean, natural stones are available. A single source gem, Charoite is found only along the Chara River Valley in a very remote area of East Central Siberia. The color of Charoite ranges from deep amethyst purple to pale lavender inter-spiced with gold and white. The swirling purples of Charoite often resemble the eddies and rushing waters of a fast moving stream. The best gems will have a rich purple color with gray swirling patterns and slight to moderate chatoyancy that give it a silky or pearly luster.

COLOR:
Charoite is purple and contains swirls of white or violet and spots of black, occasionally it may have golden brown or clear swirls and spots.

APPEARANCE:
Semi-translucent to opaque.

Phenomena:
Charoite may exhibit the phenomena of Chatoyancy, a striking three dimensional effect typically seen in tiger eye quartz.

SIZE RANGE:
1 – 20 carats, cabochons over 100 carats are known.

TYPICAL CUTTING STYLES:
Semi-Translucent and Opaque: cabochons, beads and carvings

POSSIBLE ENHANCEMENTS & TREATMENTS:
Charoite has no known enhancements.

HARDNESS:
5 to 6 on the Mohs scale.

BEST USE OF THE GEMSTONE:
Charoite can be used in all types of jewelry.

CARE & CLEANING:
It is best to never expose colored gemstones to cleaning solvents or chemicals of any kind.
Common cleaning methods include:
Ultrasonic: never (easily split by the high frequency vibration)
Steamer: never
Warm soapy water: safe
Reaction to Chemicals: undetermined
Reaction to Heat: undetermined
Stability to Light: generally stable after prolonged exposure to sunlight or UV light.

INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT THIS GEMSTONE:
Charoite was first discovered by the Russians in 1947 and as of today it is still a single source gem found only along the Chara River Valley in a very remote area of East Central Siberia, about 325 miles North East of Lake Baikal. Chariote first became available to the western market in the 1970’s and has become very popular with carvers and lapidaries. What we know as Charoite is actually a rock composed of several different minerals including the actual mineral Charoite. It is this mineral that gives the gem its unmistakable purple color but so far, gemologists have not been able to determine the exact chemical or structural reason for the color. Charoite has a very distinctive appearance and the swirling patterns that are its calling card form because the fibrous crystals in the mineral are naturally arrayed in complex interlocking patterns. Gemologists do not understand the cause of these complex patterns yet either but there may be some connection between the patters and Charoites beautiful color. Hopefully time will tell us more about the true nature of Charoite but in the meantime we can still marvel at its beauty.

DESIGNATION:
As a new gem, Charoite has no traditions currently associated with it.

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