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Purple Kunzite Gem
Kunzite is a rather rare jewelry variety of such silicate as spodumene. Usually kunzite has a pink or purple color, which is due to the admixture of manganese. The history of the discovery of this mineral dates back to the very beginning of the 20th century. Until that time, kunzite was mistaken for rose quartz or amethyst. The first samples of kunzite were found in America in California and described by George Kunz, who later characterized the new mineral. Kunzite is formed in granite pegmatites saturated with fluids with a high content of lithium and manganese. Most of the samples of this mineral are opaque and not suitable for making jewelry inserts. Transparent crystals of kunzite are much less common, so good transparent, rich purple samples of this variety of spodumene are quite expensive. The high hardness of kunzite (6.5-7 on the Mohs scale) also contributes to its wide distribution in the jewelry market due to the high wear resistance of the stone. Kunzite is usually not refined; heat treatment is destructive for it and causes discoloration.
В геммологической практике бывают весьма увлекательные случаи с диагностикой ювелирных вставок
Но помимо редкости цвета и высокой стоимости таких камней, многие розовые камни выделяются одной замечательной особенностью – они проявляют плеохроизм, то есть в зависимости от положения осмотра камня он может иметь дополнительные оттенки – оранжевый или пурпурный.
Currently, gemstones are produced by two fundamentally different technological methods - the High Pressure - High Temperature method (“HPHT”, High-pressure & High-temperature) and the Chemical Vapor Deposition (“CVD”, Chemical vapor deposition) method. The "HPHT" method is the most tested classical synthesis method, which can be used both carbon deposition on diamond from flux melts and catalytic reactions. In "CVD" synthesis, diamond growth occurs on a seed during carbon deposition mainly from a gaseous medium at relatively low temperatures and pressures.
Jewelry and precious stones are just such a category of goods, when buying which you need to pay attention to many criteria.
Sogdianite is a rather rare mineral and more often it can be found as a collection material (moreover, in systematic collections), and it is extremely rare in jewelry.