Judging quality
Color is best viewed down the length of the crystal. Look for clean, undamaged etched faces; kunzite cleaves perfectly in two directions and is genuinely difficult to cut.
Spodumene
Kunzite
Lilac-pink spodumene, strongly pleochroic so it shifts between pink and near-colorless as it turns. Afghan crystals are famous for their size and clarity.
Care
Fades in sunlight and chips very easily. Display in low light and handle with care.
History & lore
Identified in 1902 by George Kunz from material found in the pegmatites of San Diego County.
Cultural history, recorded as tradition rather than as medical or scientific claim.
Common questions about Kunzite
- What is Kunzite?
- Lilac-pink spodumene, strongly pleochroic so it shifts between pink and near-colorless as it turns. Afghan crystals are famous for their size and clarity.
- How hard is Kunzite and what is it made of?
- Kunzite is a Spodumene-family mineral with the composition LiAlSi2O6. It crystallizes in the monoclinic system and rates 6.5-7 on the Mohs hardness scale. It occurs in pink, lilac.
- Where does Kunzite come from?
- Notable localities for Kunzite include Afghanistan, Brazil, Madagascar, USA (California).
- How do you tell good Kunzite from filler?
- Color is best viewed down the length of the crystal. Look for clean, undamaged etched faces; kunzite cleaves perfectly in two directions and is genuinely difficult to cut.
- How do you care for Kunzite?
- Fades in sunlight and chips very easily. Display in low light and handle with care.
See it in person
Photographs only go so far
Both rooms are open six days a week, and there is always someone happy to pull pieces out of the case so you can compare them under the light.