Moldavite Value, Price, and Jewelry Information
An olive to bottle-green natural glass, moldavite is a rare material popular with collectors of unusual gems as well as those interested in its formation from a meteorite impact.
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An olive to bottle-green natural glass, moldavite is a rare material popular with collectors of unusual gems as well as those interested in its formation from a meteorite impact.
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While moldavite is primarily a collectors gem, “New Age” interest in the so-called metaphysical properties of gemstones has boosted its availability and appeal to consumers. Moldavite’s connection to a prehistoric meteorite impact also adds another level of intrigue.
Moldavites are prized as “raw stones” for jewelry or as display pieces. The value of these rough specimens depends greatly on their shape, size, and visual appeal.
Lapidaries have also faceted, cabbed, and carved this material as curiosities. Cut quality plays the greatest role in the value of these gems.
Bubble inclusions are common and numerous in moldavites. Faceting a moldavite without one of these inclusions breaking the surface poses a great challenge to gem cutters. If a bubble breaches the surface on the pavilion side, it will have a minimal effect on value, based on its visibility. On the other hand, a bubble breaking on the crown side would be considered a significant blemish and would greatly reduce the gem’s value.
Poorly cut gems look very dull compared to custom-cut ones. Well-cut and polished moldavites are certainly worth the higher prices they can command. However, they’re still quite affordable.
What is Moldavite?
Moldavites are a type of tektite, natural glass formed by the melting and cooling of silica sand or rock ejected into the atmosphere after a meteorite impact. Only the natural glass formed by the meteorite impact at Nördlinger Ries in Germany, about 15 million years ago, can be called moldavite. Moldavites formed in the strewn field of the impact, at distances up to 280 miles from the crater.
Since prehistoric times, people have used many varieties of tektites, including moldavites, for ornamentation, tools, and religious purposes. Moldavites have even been found inside a cave in Austria and at locations beyond the strewn field, indicating prehistoric people collected and traded these pieces. However, moldavite was first described scientifically as "chrysolite" in 1787. Historically, people have used this term, which means "golden stone," to refer to many different species of gemstones, including chrysoberyl, prehnite, and peridot. In 1836, scientists named the material moldavite, after a major source near the Moldau River in Bohemia.
Tektites from other localities have shown black, brown, and yellow colors. Moldavites have a green color — ranging from olive and yellowish green to bottle green — due to a low concentration of iron.
What are the Best Jewelry and Gem Designs for Moldavites?
Often available as flattened discs or dish-like pieces with very rough edges, moldavite rough pieces truly look like molten material that splashed and cooled into these shapes.
Lapidaries can sometimes carve this rough into lovely, fanciful shapes. Of course, some connoisseurs prefer jewelry made with moldavites left in their natural shape or cut to showcase their inclusions.
The most popular faceted cuts for moldavites are simple rounds and emerald cuts. Small cabochons are also common choices.
People who wish to highlight the extraterrestrial connection can combine moldavites with meteorite materials in unique jewelry pieces.
Identifying Characteristics
Like all tektites, moldavites can vary in chemistry and have a wide range of refractive index (RI) and specific gravity (SG) values. Testing for X-ray fluorescence and searching for inclusions are the best ways to start identifying these gems.
Moldavites typically have a wavy, roiled "heat wave" appearance, like hessonites. They also contain numerous inclusions of gas bubbles, swirls (flow marks), and grains or long wires of lechatelierite (amorphous silica glass). Finding lechatelierite inclusions is a strong indication you have a moldavite. Since these inclusions have a lower RI than the host moldavite, they will appear in high relief if you view a gem through a loupe or immersed in a refraction liquid with an RI that matches the gem.
Sometimes, distinguishing moldavite from manufactured glass may require advanced gemological lab equipment. For example, a Laser Ablation-Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometer (LA-ICP-MS) can identify a gem's chemical composition. This instrument may help distinguish moldavites from "soda-lime" green manufactured glasses, which can have high NaO and CaO content.
Fourier Transform Infra-Red (FTIR) spectrometry can analyze the infrared electromagnetic spectrum. When viewed with this instrument, moldavites show an asymmetrical absorption peak at 3700 cm-1.
How Can You Spot a Fake Moldavite?
Before moldavites were recognized as a type of natural glass, it was believed they were just slag from the Bohemian glass-making industry. Distinguishing moldavites from synthetic glass remains difficult. Jaroslav Hyršl's 2015 article,Moldavites: Natural Or Fake?, contains a great deal of useful information for separating genuine moldavites not only from contemporary Chinese imitations but also 19th century imitations.
Beware of any material sold as "African moldavite." Africa does yield tektites, such as Libyan desert glass and ivorite from Ivory Coast. However, by definition, moldavites occur only in the strewn field around the Nördlinger Ries impact.
Libyan desert glass can have a pale yellowish green color, while moldavites tend to have a darker green color. Ivorites only occur in black. Most likely, so-called "African moldavites" aren't tektites at all but actually manufactured glass pieces sold under a misleading name. They tend to look clearer than actual moldavites, with fewer inclusions.
Moldavite Sources
The main source of moldavites is the Czech Republic. Other sources include the following: Austria, Germany, and Poland.
Stone Sizes
Lapidaries have faceted moldavite gems weighing up to 25 cts. Rough moldavites up to 235 g in weight (about 1,1175 cts) exist, but pieces that large are very rare.
The website tektites.co.uk lists the largest/heaviest recovered tektites, organized by country. Per this source, the heaviest known moldavite comes from Bohemia and weighs close to 500 g. This moldavite was referenced in the 2001 book Tektites by Ken McNamara and Alex Bevan.
How to Care for Your Moldavite Jewelry
Moldavites have a hardness of 5, which makes them susceptible to scratching. As ring stones, they should receive protective settings and only occasional wear. However, other jewelry uses, such pendants and earrings, should present no problems.
Since moldavites typically contain numerous inclusions, don't use steam or ultrasonic systems to clean them. Instead, use a soft brush, mild detergent, and warm water. Consult our gemstone jewelry cleaning guide for more recommendations.
Barbara Smigel, PhD. GG
Barbara Smigel is a GIA certified gemologist, facetor, jewelry designer, gem dealer, gemology instructor and creator of the well-regarded educational websites acstones.com and bwsmigel.info.
Joel E. Arem, Ph.D., FGA
Dr. Joel E. Arem has more than 60 years of experience in the world of gems and minerals. After obtaining his Ph.D. in Mineralogy from Harvard University, he has published numerous books that are still among the most widely used references and guidebooks on crystals, gems and minerals in the world.
Co-founder and President of numerous organizations, Dr. Arem has enjoyed a lifelong career in mineralogy and gemology. He has been a Smithsonian scientist and Curator, a consultant to many well-known companies and institutions, and a prolific author and speaker. Although his main activities have been as a gem cutter and dealer, his focus has always been education. joelarem.com
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