Amazonite
Along with carnelian, turquoise and lapis lazuli, Amazonite is one of the gemstones most often seen in classic Egyptian jewelry - the stuff you see in museums and documentaries about the ancient pharaohs and their burial chambers.
Amazonite's cool green color did not just look beautiful but signified rebirth for the Pharaohs as they entered the afterlife.
Amazonite Colors
Amazonites are rarely a single color but contain swirls and bands of white, gray, light green, sky blue, deep jade and cloudy moss.
When it was used to decorate the burial chambers and palaces of the pharaohs, Amazonite was not called Amazonite but was usually referred to as neshmet.
This name would not really go over so well as a gemstone these days so, in an early effort at marketing, the name Amazonite was dreamt up to conjure exotic images of thick green tropical jungles with languid turquoise pools.
Read more about gemstones colors here
Amazonite Species
Amazonite is a type of microline mineral which in turn is a type of feldspar and is found in igneous and metamorphic rocks - neither of which are to be seen with a 1000 miles of the Amazon. It may be called Amazonite but there are no known sources of this gemstone in either the jungle or the river.
Amazonite Price
Amazonite is a very affordable gemstone with prices often ranging from $1 to $3 per carat. As with most gemstones it is the color that gives Amazonite value. A vivid blue-green or green-blue stone is best and therefore command a higher price.
Carat Weight
Amazonite comes in all sizes from 1 ct small calibrated gemstones ideal for rings and bracelets, to very large stones over 100 ct perfect for pendants and brooches and even paperweights.
Treatments
Amazonite is not often treated with heat or irradiation - the results are not worth the time and money. We have seen dyed Amazonite - usually in bead form in bulk - but the bright artificial looking color is quite obvious.
Most Amazonite is just cut and polished into natural gemstones.
Where is Amazonite found?
There is evidence of Amazonite mines in the Eastern deserts of Egypt which can be traced back to 2000 BC but these days Amazonite is mostly found in China and Mongolia in East Asia, the Ural Mountains of Russia, the island of Madagascar, and Brazil (though not in the Amazon region!).
The USA has exceptionally fine deep blue and green deposits in Colorado which is often called Pikes Peak Amazonite after its source and to highlight its exceptional quality.
What jewelry is Amazonite suitable for?
Amazonite is rated at 6 - 6.5 on Mohs hardness scale which makes it strong enough for jewelry items such as earrings, pendants and brooches but care should be taken when used for rings and bracelets.
The large sizes and interesting patterns makes this stone particularly good for one-off designs for pendants, brooches and earrings if you are looking for something really unique.
Amazonite is also perfect for jewelry making hobbyists because of the big sizes and affordability.
