Lilac-purple stone Sugilite - basic properties, magical and healing capabilities, photo of the gem

Sugilite is a stone whose charm is hard to resist. The deep lilac-violet color of this gem can leave few people indifferent. The mysterious purple mineral is very young and was discovered recently, but managed to gain popularity among connoisseurs of masterpieces from the underground pantries of nature.

History and origin of the name

It was discovered on Iwagi Island by Japanese professor of mineralogy Ken-ichi Sugi in 1944. A new gem was named after him. The first brown-yellow samples that were obtained did not make much of an impression, since they tried to make cabochons from them, but their quality left much to be desired. But the discoverer was a little upset. The very fact of the discovery of a new mineral was important to him.

After 10 years, it was India's turn. But the mineral found there did not interest jewelers either.

A real sensation was made by the discovery of a deposit in the Kalahari Desert in South Africa. Intense colors ranging from mauve to deep purple and intricate ring patterns have created a buzz among jewelers and fashionistas. The unique beauty of sugilite can be appreciated in the photo, although they are unlikely to convey all the charm of this stunningly beautiful stone.

This stone has other names:

Wesselite - by the name of the Wessel mine in South Africa;
Lavulite - due to lavender shades;
Royal azel - by the name of the area of \u200b\u200bone of the deposits and the purple color, which was considered royal;
Purple turquoise - due to veins and matte sheen, reminiscent of turquoise.

Place of Birth

Unfortunately, the South African field is almost exhausted. In the entire history, only 5 tons of this rare mineral were mined on it.

In Japan, mining continues today. Veins have been found containing samples of better quality than those originally discovered.

The first and only Dara-Pioz field in the USSR was discovered in Tajikistan.

Also, small deposits of the mineral were found in the Mont Saint-Hilaire mine in Quebec in eastern Canada, as well as in Italy.

Most of the sugilite entering the world market is of Australian origin. These stones have blue-violet hues, inferior in price to the purple "Africans".

Most often, opaque or translucent aggregates are found, occasionally large translucent and even transparent crystals are found. Often adjacent to apatite, albite, zircon and aegirine.

Physical Properties

Sugilite has a hardness of 6-6.5, gloss from glass to matte. Fragile. Fracture from uneven to conchoidal, cleavage imperfect. Syngony hexagonal. Brownish-brown to greenish to purplish-purple color. Density 2.7 g/cm3. Fragile. Sugilite is weakly radioactive.

Chemical properties and composition

Sugilite is a lithium aluminum silicate that also contains sodium, potassium, iron, manganese, and sometimes titanium. It is titanium and manganese that are responsible for the purple and violet tones in the color of sugilite. The more of them, the more valued these gems.

Chemical formula: KNa2(Fe,Mn,Al)2Li3Si12O30.

Varieties

Sugilites have varieties that differ in location or color.

Wesselites are stones mined in South Africa, lavulites are stones that have the color of lavender, most often of African origin.

There are rare samples that have dichroism in the form of an "alexandrite" color effect. These stones change color depending on the lighting. In daylight, they are bluish-violet, and in artificial light they become red-purple.

fakes

Such a rare stone aroused the temptation to cash in, passing off a cheap fake made of glass or plastic as it. These imitations are easily recognizable by their weight and feel in the hand, as the plastic is noticeably lighter and warm to the touch. The glass also heats up much faster from the heat of the hand.

It is more difficult to recognize fraud if charoite, sogdialyte or lilac amethyst are trying to pass off as sugilite. True, in the first case, most likely even the seller himself does not know what charms are even more expensive, since they are found in a single place on earth.

In all these cases, only a gemological examination with the study of the chemical composition of the gem can help.

magical properties

Sugilite has many magical properties, but they are not well understood due to the short acquaintance of people with this stone.

If you often have to meet energy vampires in your family or at work, then sugilite can provide you with reliable protection against them. It restores mental balance, gives strength and vigor. It will help creative people to reveal their abilities and protect them from envy. Develops intuition and clairvoyance.

To tune in to productive work and establish contact with partners and employees, just put a decoration with sugilite on the table.

Medicinal properties

Sugilite has the following healing properties:

improve the condition of the cardiovascular system;
drive away neurosis and depression;
restore strength;
relieve headaches and migraines.

For treatment, it is better to put it on the solar plexus or third eye area. It is useful to simply touch, hold in a fist or look at a stone.

Important! After treatment, wipe with alcohol, rinse in cold water and let the stone rest and gain strength.

Zodiac signs

This stone is suitable for all signs of the zodiac, but it has a particularly positive effect on Aquarius, Virgo and Sagittarius.

Important! Do not wear a lot of jewelry with sugilite at the same time. Possessing strong energy, it can worsen the condition of people who are unsure of their abilities.

Products with Sugilite

Translucent and transparent gem-quality sugilites are used to make rings, pendants, brooches, beads and bracelets. High-quality sugilite can be purchased for $10 per carat, and if the purple hue is especially intense, then the price of the precious gem can jump up to $50. The price on the world jewelry market only increases as the deposits of this rare stone are depleted.