KUNZITE
Gemstone family: Spodumene
Crystal System: Monoclinic
Moh's scale of hardness: 6.5-7
Lustre: Vitreous
About: Kunzite is the best-known variety of the mineral Spodumene. It’s named after famed gemmologist George Frederick Kunz, who was the first to identify it as a unique variety of Spodumene. It was first discovered in San Diego County, California. Kunzite gets its delicate colour from trace amounts of manganese.
Origin: Kunzite is found in Brazil, Madagascar, Myanmar and the USA.
Use in jewellery: Kunzite is generally cut as faceted stones. It is best for use in pendants and earrings where the stone will not get knocked.
Treatments, synthetics and imitations: Kunzite is often heated or irradiated to enhance it's colour.