Hardness: 7.00
Refractive Index: 1.53-1.54
Specific Gravity: 2.61
Birthstone:
Astral Stone:
Anniversary Stone:
Origination: Namibia, Turkey and the United States.
Care & Cleaning: Soft polishing cloth, plain water rinse mild solution of soap & water or commercial jewelry cleaner. Do not
soak for long periods of time.
Fiction, Facts & Folklore:
Marketing efforts have increased consumer awareness of blue chalcedony.
Deposits found in California, Oregon and Washington State are considered to be of higher-quality and finer color than the material from Turkey or Namibia.
The Turkish deposits are for the most part are best described as grayish-blue in color, while the material from Namibia generally shows undertones of purple.
Deposits in the Pacific Northwest are more translucent and blue, although they are said to be quite limited in quantity.
New finds in Mount Airy, Nevada have given dealers cause for celebration. �Mount Airy Blue� indicate the deposits are large enough to meet rising market demands.
Another important source also found in Nevada first surfaced in 1987. This material is known as �Mojave Blue� chalcedony.
It is of equal quality to the �Mount Airy Blue� variety, although it is not as large in volume.
Blue chalcedony is found in rocks known as �thunder eggs�. These rocks are normally associated with beds of volcanic ash.
Although these eggs can weigh five pounds or more, and be as large as three feet in diameter, most weigh under one pound and are less than ten inches across.
Mount Airy Blue chalcedony can exhibit a cat�s-eye effect, or show a bluish-pink haze similar to that of moonstone, This phenomenon is known as �adularesence�.