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Sunstone
Discussing Sunstone can seem like a vocabulary lesson when you hear that it is a feldspar mineral which displays aventurescence or the schiller effect.
Put more simply, Sunstone is a clear gemstone with colorful metallic flakes that glitter from inside.
Sunstone Colors
Sunstone is typically a clear gemstone with tiny flakes of hematite, goethite, pyrite, and sometimes copper, as inclusions within the stone.
The colors reflected by the inclusions include gold, red, orange and yellow and the metallic nature of the internal minerals make them appear to shimmer and shine.
Read more about gemstones colors here
Sunstone Species
Sunstone is a gem-quality member of the feldspar mineral group. Feldspar makes up around 50% of the earth's crust if you include all the rock-forming silicate minerals and is made up of mostly potassium, sodium and calcium.
Of course, very little of this material is ever fine enough to become a gemstone but other famous feldspar examples include moonstone, amazonite and labradorite.
The inclusions in Sunstone are usually hematite, goethite or copper and if they are flat flakes, very reflective and cut in alignment they can flash and glimmer in a phenomenon known as aventurescence.
What are the spiritual benefits of Sunstone?
Sunstone is traditionally thought of as a good luck gemstone and has many other benefits including:
- Motivation and Manifestation
- Boosts Leadership Qualities
- Enhances Intuition
- Optimism and Joy
See our detailed article on Gemstone meanings and uses
Sunstone and the Chakras
The Chakras are energy centers located in specific locations throughout the body which can influence us both emotionally and physically. Each Chakra has an associated color.
As a generally orange gemstone, Sunstone will be primarily influential on the Sacral Chakra which deals with aspects of life such as creativity, sexuality and pleasure.
Find more details on Chakra gemstones here
Sunstone Price
It is the color of the Sunstone which will determine its price. Any gemstone which is on the red side of orange will be much appreciated as long as they do not contain any brown tints.
The sparkle or glimmer of a good sunstone is very important so the color must combine with this effect. A deep red sunstone with no 'aventurescence' will not be as valuable as an orange sunstone with lots of glitter.
Carat Weight
Most Sunstone gemstones fall between 1 and 10 carats and the most popular tend to be around 3 to 5 carats because the color looks best at this size and they are perfect for a variety of jewelry items.
Sunstone is not a very expensive gemstone – even high quality brightly colored examples should only be around $5 or $6 per carat no matter the size of the stone.
For more details please refer to our full Sunstone Info page here
Treatments
As far as we are aware, Sunstone is not treated in any way other than cutting and shaping into faceted or cabochon gemstones. Heating gemstones is quite common to improve color and clarity but since the color of Sunstone comes from its inclusions it would more likely spoil the gemstones.
Sunstone History
There is limited information of the history of Sunstone although it is believed that it was often used as a primitive form of money for trade and barter.
Vikings were said to use them for navigation on cloudy days although recent evidence suggests that this legendary stone could have been a calcite instead.
Where is Sunstone found?
Sunstones are mined in various locations around the world with India, Australia, China and Russia notable suppliers. Oregon in the USA is famous for its high quality examples with vibrant colors and glittering inclusions.
What jewelry is Sunstone suitable for?
Sunstone is rated at 6 to 6.5 on Mohs hardness scale scale making it about medium durability for a gemstone. It should be tough enough for most jewelry items but rings and bracelets might need extra care or protective settings to be safe.
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