Vivianite is so fragile and soft, any faceted gems would be difficult to handle safely, let alone wear. Nevertheless, its blue and green colors are so rich, a few stones (very few) have been cut.
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In an interview, rare-gem faceter and supplier C. D. Parsons acknowledges looking forward to cutting vivianite someday, something very few have done. With a hardness between talc and gypsum (1.5-2) and perfect cleavage, few could manage this feat. Thin pieces are even flexible and sectile (cuttable with a knife). Due to their fragility, vivianites would not make good jewelry stones.
However, this gem material can show beautiful dark shades of blue and green. It also displays intense pleochroism. Depending on the viewing angle, stones can reveal up to three colors, including yellowish green and olive-green, blue-green, and indigo.
When mined, vivianites are colorless or pale green, but their colors darken after exposure to light. As a result, an enthusiast may find an attractive color disappearing over time. Not surprisingly, this further de-incentivizes cutting an already challenging stone. Still, the appeal remains. You're more likely to find vivianites in mineral collections than jewelry collections.
In the past, vivianite was believed to be the cause of the blue color of so-called odontolite. This fossilized bone and teeth material may resemble turquoise. (It's also called "bone turquoise"). However, heat treatments have been shown to produce the color artificially.
Like its coloration, vivianite's streak starts colorless but becomes dark blue over time. Please note: don't conduct streak testing on finished gems. Test material in inconspicuous spots as a last resort only.
Bolivian material has the following properties.
Scientists have synthesized vivianite for a variety of purposes, including environmental and agricultural research. However, there's no known jewelry use for this lab-created material. There are no known gemstone treatments or enhancements.
The following sources yield good-quality gem material:
Other notable sources include the following:
Gem cutters rarely facet vivianites, and their almost micaceous cleavage makes polishing gems very difficult. For example, the Bolivian material could yield cut stones up to 75-100 carats. However, this just doesn't occur.
Store your vivianite specimens out of the light to protect their color. Consult our gemstone jewelry cleaning guide for more recommendations.
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In an interview, rare-gem faceter and supplier C. D. Parsons acknowledges looking forward to cutting vivianite someday, something very few have done. With a hardness between talc and gypsum (1.5-2) and perfect cleavage, few could manage this feat. Thin pieces are even flexible and sectile (cuttable with a knife). Due to their fragility, vivianites would not make good jewelry stones.
However, this gem material can show beautiful dark shades of blue and green. It also displays intense pleochroism. Depending on the viewing angle, stones can reveal up to three colors, including yellowish green and olive-green, blue-green, and indigo.
When mined, vivianites are colorless or pale green, but their colors darken after exposure to light. As a result, an enthusiast may find an attractive color disappearing over time. Not surprisingly, this further de-incentivizes cutting an already challenging stone. Still, the appeal remains. You're more likely to find vivianites in mineral collections than jewelry collections.
In the past, vivianite was believed to be the cause of the blue color of so-called odontolite. This fossilized bone and teeth material may resemble turquoise. (It's also called "bone turquoise"). However, heat treatments have been shown to produce the color artificially.
Like its coloration, vivianite's streak starts colorless but becomes dark blue over time. Please note: don't conduct streak testing on finished gems. Test material in inconspicuous spots as a last resort only.
Bolivian material has the following properties.
Scientists have synthesized vivianite for a variety of purposes, including environmental and agricultural research. However, there's no known jewelry use for this lab-created material. There are no known gemstone treatments or enhancements.
The following sources yield good-quality gem material:
Other notable sources include the following:
Gem cutters rarely facet vivianites, and their almost micaceous cleavage makes polishing gems very difficult. For example, the Bolivian material could yield cut stones up to 75-100 carats. However, this just doesn't occur.
Store your vivianite specimens out of the light to protect their color. Consult our gemstone jewelry cleaning guide for more recommendations.
Vivianite is so fragile and soft, any faceted gems would be difficult to handle safely, let alone wear. Nevertheless, its blue and green colors are so rich, a few stones (very few) have been cut. Vivianites make beautiful collector’s gemstones.
