Many have never heard of grandidierite let alone laid eyes on one. These are some of nature’s finest gemstones. Grandidierite stones are gorgeous, rare blue-green beauties that deserve to be admired. Fairly recently discovered, grandidierite stones are valuable collector’s pieces. With so few gem-quality stones on the open market, it’s no wonder why these stones are sold as quickly as they appear.
Blue-hued gemstones invoke feelings of calmness and can promote clear thinking. For those lucky enough to get their hands on an exotic grandidierite gemstone, be sure to keep it close to benefit from the positive energies that come with it. If you’re in search of something unique then grandidierite is just what you’re looking for. It’s almost a certainty that you will be the first one in your circle to own one.
| Grandidierite Colors | Blue-green |
| Zodiac Signs | None |
| Hardness Scale | 7.5 on Mohs Scale |
| Mineral Class | Silicate |
| Symbolism | Clarity, Calm |
What is Grandidierite
Grandidierite is a silicate mineral that is one of the rarest gemstones in the world. The first reported specimens of grandidierite were discovered in 1902 in Southern Madagascar by French mineralogist Alfred Lacroix. Grandidierite was named after the French explorer Alfred Grandidier, renowned for his studies on the natural history of Madagascar.
Grandidierite ranks 7.5 on the Mohs hardness scale, which makes it ideal for use in jewelry due to its durability and scratch resistance. Finding gemstone quality grandidierite on the other hand is not an easy task. The scarcity of grandidierite makes it hard to come by on the open market. Although these stones have been found at different locations worldwide, the gem-quality stones are mostly found in Madagascar and that too in small pockets.
What does Grandidierite look like
Grandidierite appears bluish-green with the blue hues increasing depending on the amount of iron present in the stone. These gemstones display strong trichroic pleochroism. This means that grandidierite stones can reflect three different colors based on the angle from which they are viewed (usually dark green, dark blue-green, and light yellow to colorless). This phenomenon occurs in very few gemstones and can be one way of identifying grandidierite gemstones.
The most desired and rare color of grandidierite is soft neon blue. Gemstone quality grandidierite can usually be found in shades of blue and green. These gems display a high degree of transparency and the color is distinct. A fully transparent grandidierite is a rare find.
The value of Grandidierite
Grandidierite is a rare mineral. Gemstone-quality grandidierite is even rarer. Generally, these gemstones are cut into cabochons due to their opaque transparency. The few transparent grandidierite stones that are found go through the difficult task of needing to be cut and faceted. This is a challenging task as the gem cutter aims to keep as much of the weight of the stone as possible while showing off the pleochroism of the stone. These stones are then sold for significantly high prices.
The minimal supply of grandidierite has led to the low demand for grandidierite. This and the lack of knowledge in the jewelry market have not allowed grandidierite to rise in popularity as much as diamonds or sapphires. Fine quality grandidierite with the best possible cut, color, and clarity can fetch upwards of $20,000 per carat.
History and mythology of Grandidierite
Grandidierite stones were discovered fairly recently if you look at them in the gemstone world. In 1902, Alfred Lacroix came across samples of grandidierite on the cliffs of Andrahomana in southern Madagascar. He went on to name it in honor of Alfred Grandidier who spent most of his life exploring Madagascar in great detail. The lack of legends and mythology surrounding grandidierite is because there is no documented knowledge of these gems in ancient times.
Grandidierite’s meaning and symbolism
With grandidierite being a relatively new discovery compared to other gemstones there is very little known about its meanings. However, it is believed that the colors of grandidierite correlate with different chakra points on the body. The mixture of blue and green in grandidierite connects to the heart, throat, and third eye chakras.
The greener stones are used for the heart chakra located near the heart at the center of the chest. Green shades of grandidierite can be used here to bring balance to your relationships. It will enhance love, compassion, empathy, and forgiveness.
The lighter blue stones can be used for the throat chakra found at the base of the throat. Placing grandidierite here may help you to clearly express yourself. While the dark blue grandidierite is best suited to the third-eye chakra which sits between the eyebrows. The third eye chakra can increase one’s clairvoyant ability and intuition.
The higher the iron content in grandidierite the more blue the stone is. Blue gemstones promote clarity of thought and induce feelings of calm and tranquility. You can use blue grandidierite gemstones to clear negative energies and increase confidence.
Where does Grandidierite come from
Grandidierite was created from molten rock that surfaced from below the Earth’s crust. Silicon crystals are formed over millions of years. The first samples of grandidierite stones were found in pegmatite outcrops on the Andrahomana cliffside of Madagascar. Other small batches of stones have since been found in many other parts of the world. These include Sri Lanka, Malawi, Antarctica, Australia, and Namibia. However, most gem-quality grandidierite comes from southern Madagascar and Kolonne Sri Lanka.
Grandidierite and Zodiac signs
Grandidierite is not used as a traditional birthstone and it is not linked to any of the zodiac signs. Because of its soft blue hues, many relate it to similar colored stones like aquamarine and turquoise and may serve as substitutes for these birthstones. Those zodiac signs would be Pisces and Sagittarius.
Grandidierite gemstone family
Grandidierite is an extremely rare magnesium-aluminum borosilicate mineral comparable to garnet in hardness and resembling blue apatite or paraiba tourmaline in color. Grandidierite is mainly composed of magnesium, aluminum, and boron with traces of iron that give these gemstones their beautiful blue-green hues.
The trichroic nature of grandidierite makes it distinguishable from other blue-green gemstones. There are however other stones like lazulites which also display similar pleochroism of blue, dark blue, and colorless.
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Grandidierite gemstone uses
Grandidierite stones are prized gems for jewelry pieces especially since they are so rare. Those stones that are not gem-quality can be cut into cabochons and used as touchstones, in meditation, or for crystal healing and chakra balancing.
Frequently asked questions about Grandidierite
Yes, grandidierite is an extremely rare gemstone that makes it valuable despite not being as popular as other gemstones on the market.
Gem-quality grandidierite that is of exceptional color and transparency is not commonly found on the market. This makes grandidierite both rare and expensive.
Yes, grandidierite is one of the rarest gemstones in the world. Despite the different sources of grandidierite, they are usually found in small pockets that are quickly depleted.
The rare gem-quality grandidierite stones can fetch up to $20,000 per carat or more. The lower-quality stones are more reasonably priced and are not often used in jewelry.
