Verdelite gemstone

Home ➤ Encyclopedia of gems ➤ Verdelite gemstone

Physical properties of verdelite

Hardness:	7 out of 10 on the Mohs scale
Luster:	glass
Transparency:	transparent
Color:	green, emerald green, grass green, dark green

Characteristics of verdelite

Verdelite (Brazilian Emerald, Turk's Head) is a variety of green tourmaline gemstone. It is sometimes also called noble tourmaline.

Verdelite is one of the most common tourmalines. The color, as already mentioned, is green. True, sometimes shades of verdelite color can even fluctuate in one stone - for example, from soft grassy to dark green. Which, however, only distinguishes verdelite among other precious stones. And verdelite can also have the top of another variety of tourmaline - rubellite. Such a precious stone even has its own unique name - “Turk's head” (such an unusual name was given to the stone because the rubellite top of the stone looks like a Turk's fez).

Most verdelite is mined in Brazil, which is why verdelite is often called the "Brazilian emerald" in Europe. Here was found the largest crystal of verdelite, more than 1 meter long, called "Rocket". Verdelites are also found in the USA, Madagascar, Mozambique, Namibia, Tanzania, Afghanistan, and Pakistan.

One of the most famous verdelites is kept in the Museum of Natural History in New York. It was found in Connecticut, weighs 2.4 kg and has its own name - "Jolly Green Giant". Another famous verdelite is inserted into the crown of the Norwegian kings. It was presented by the Ambassador of Brazil to the future king of Sweden and Norway, Karl XIV Johan. How much does verdelit cost

Too dark verdelites are quite inexpensive - $40 per carat. The average price of good quality verdelites is $100 per carat. However, large stones can cost much more - $300-700 per carat depending on size and quality. But these are rarely available for sale.

	★ Aquamarine gemstone
See also:	★ Diopside gemstone
	★ Demantoid gemstone