Kyanite Gemstone

Kyanite is a beautiful, luxurious and rare Gemstone. But where does it come from, why is it rare, and what are the healing benefits it offers? In the blog we answer these questions and more so that you can walk away a kyanite expert.

1. What is Kyanite Gemstone made from, in terms of its natural chemical properties?

Kyanite is a beautiful, luxurious, and rare gemstone found primarily in metamorphic rocks. Kyanite gemstone is formed when sedimentary rocks undergo a metamorphosis mm resulting in high pressure changes to the clay minerals there in. Most of the time kyanite is found in schists, taking the form of bladed crystals and in rare cases radiating masses of crystals.

The natural chemical properties of Kyanite gemstones is a composite of kyanite, andalusite, and sillimanite.The first of these is a high pressure polymorph, the second is a low-pressure polymorph, and the third forms at high temperatures. The chemical composition reads as follows:

Al2SiO5

It is chemically classified as silicate with a triclinic crystal system.The longer crystals have a hardness rating between 4.5 and 5 MOhs while shorter masses of crystals can be rated between 6.5 and 7. Because the crystals are found in two main types, it was originally referred to as “disthene”, a term reflective upon the two different strengths ratings associated with the two types of crystal masses.

2. Where does the highest quality and authentic Kyanite Gemstone come from?

Kyanite gemstones typically come from places like Myanmar, Cambodia, Kenya, Nepal, Tibet, Brazil, Switzerland, Russia, and certain states in America.

The highest quality and most authentic kyanite gemstones today still come from Nepal and Tibet. Most of the time the lesser quality gemstones which are found around the world are not used in jewelry but saved for ceramics or abrasives.

3. What are the uses of Kyanite?

Kyanite has many uses.Within manufacturing it's used for refractory products like Kiln the furniture or bricks that are produced inside of high temperature furnaces. It's also used for certain Railroad and Automotive industries that require a high level of resistance to heat. For that reason a modified and tell signed version of it is used to create things like clutch facings or brake shoes.

The properties in kyanite make it perfect for high refractory strength porcelain, again because of its ability to withstand high temperatures. You might find the products used for porcelain insulators on Automotive spark plugs or used in porcelain sinks or bathroom fixtures.

The hardness and heat resistance make it great for things like cutting wheels used for abrasive products. And because this mineral can expand when it's heated, doubling in size, it's perfect for refractory products that need to maintain their volume once they have been manufactured.

A much more valuable and rare use of kyanite is in jewelry. Jewelry stores in Artisan jewelry dealers will incorporate kyanite pieces into their products that have faceted stones and attractive cabochons with a range of beautiful geometric colors and styles among them.

Kyanite is not only used for many industrial purposes like high refractory strength porcelain, but  as a rare gemstone. Blue kyanite gemstones are very popular which hues ranging from clear to blue to green and teal.

Most of the kyanite used by gemstone collectors for high-quality jewelry is blue in color. The gemstones are considered rare for many reasons one of which is the fact that they are pleochroic which means the color will change depending on the direction from which the gemstone is viewed.

The blue kyanite gemstones can take on a deep sapphire color or have an aquamarine, blue topaz, or transparent blue color.

Another reason why kyanite is a rare gemstone is because of how challenging it is to cut. As mentioned, it comes in two different forms with two different levels of hardness. Most of the time the crystals are narrow, long blades but regardless, it is very difficult to cut them into the necessary shape and size for jewelry and that leads to its rarity.

If you are looking into kyanite jewelry, this luxury gemstone can be incorporated into rings, earrings, pendants, and beads.

5. What value does Kyanite hold today?

There are many factors that influence the value of kyanite today. The color is the first factor. The blue kyanite is the most common color used for kyanite jewelry. Less commonly found are green, gray, white, yellow, and orange hues, the latter of which was only recently discovered inTanzania.

Other colors are not as popular because they don't tend to have the transparency of the blue versions. That said the colorless form of the crystal is the rarest though not necessarily the most valuable. The most valuable Remains the sapphire blue.

When you look at the color of kyanite gemstones it's often uneven and inconsistent which means there are multiple shades of one color in a single gemstone and it's quite common to find white blotches or streaks within the stone which can increase its value depending on the pattern.

Other factors that influence the value include the clarity and the luster. Transparent gemstones are the most valuable but almost every kyanite stone will have some sort of flaw because of the color zoning. It's quite rare to find kyanite gemstones over 2 carats so any pieces of jewelry you find of that value or higher will obviously hold their value long-term.

In addition to this is the cut and shape for the kyanite jewelry. gemstone collectors will usually have transparent stones that are faceted but translucent stones that are cut en cabochon. Pears and ovals are the most common shape for such jewelry because they help preserve the majority of the weight for the gemstone but things like trillions, hearts, and rounds are rarer and in higher demand, therefore they have a higher value especially if they have been precisely cut by gemstone collectors into calibrated sizes.

6. How to know your Kyanite is real?

Kyanite has a distinct property called anisotropism. you will notice variable hardness in the same crystal and a habit of blotching or streaking of color in a single piece of jewelry. This is what sets it apart from other gems. You should be able to ascertain whether it has two distinctly different hardness values. Thankfully, there aren't any synthetic kyanite products on the market today save for things like blue glass or blue quartz.

7. Who should wear Kyanite?

People who are looking for healing gemstones that improve communication would do well to invest in kyanite jewelry, much the same as anyone with the zodiac signs of the Taurus, Aries, or Libra. Those who are looking for an alternative to the often expensive blue sapphire gemstone can take comfort in the fact that some kyanite stones have been so historically similar to the colors of a sapphire that even official mineralogists were unable to discern between the two and mistakenly labeled kyanite as Sapphire.

This type of jewelry is a wonderful alternative to Blue Sapphire but given the difficulty in cutting the gemstones this type of luxury gemstone is best reserved for earrings and pendants which are not exposed to the same type of wear and tear of rings and bracelets. The multi-faceted color of the gemstone gives it a lustrous design and a natural appeal that is perfect when combined with just about any other material.

As mentioned, while it is durable, it is more fragile than things like topaz. If you accidentally hit the jewelry against a hard surface it can split the gemstone so it's best to avoid mixing kyanite with other gemstones so that it doesn't accidentally get scratched or fractured. You should also avoid wearing any jewelry you have before exercising, doing household chores like dishwashing, or playing sports.

8. Why does Kyanite change in price?

If you are looking at kyanite jewelry, you will see that on average it cost about $50 per carat. the value of the gemstone itself is contingent upon the clarity, the cuts, and the color. Again, the more highly valued gemstones are those that have the dark blue color very similar to a blue sapphire, with better transparency and uniformity throughout the entire Stone.

Because of the cleavage properties it is difficult to cut this stone so the price can change based on the cut of the gemstone as well as the clarity rating. Any stones that are free from obvious blemishes and don't have as much color zoning will be worth more overtime. The larger the size of course, the more likely the stone is to increase in price over time.

9. What are the healing benefits of Kyanite?

If you are looking for healing gemstones, kyanite is believed to help with communication and self-expression. It is thought that wearing such jewelry will open your body's center for better communication.

KyaniteJewelry can give the wearer dreams that provide insightful messages, help them to meditate more deeply and uncover insights hidden in the subconscious, and even calm agitation or anger or help lift one out of depression.

Some also believe that wearing kyanite healing gemstones near the throat chakra can provide for better meditation, communication, and balance across all chakras.

It was once believed that suspending this gemstone from your hair would function the same as the needle in a compass by using the magnetic force of the earth. To that end, travelers would keep kyanite on their person for long Journeys especially into unknown regions so that they could always find their way around.

While this gemstone is not considered a birthstone it does still have associations to the Libra, Aries, and Taurus zodiac signs.

10. When was Kyanite first discovered?

Kyanite Has been discovered all over the world, but was named in 1789 by a German mineralogist, Abraham Gottlob Werner taken from the Greek word for blue.

Tips: Kyanite jewelry care

 

Kyanite Jewelry deserves special care. As mentioned, there are a lot of jewelry designs from which to choose but this particular gemstone is so rare and so beautiful on its own that it is best for any type of jewelry that doesn't get a lot of stress like necklaces, pendants, earrings, and the like. Even if you do choose to integrate this healing gemstone into a bracelet or a ring you need to exercise caution so that you don't accidentally fracture the stone.

As long as you wear your gemstone with care, it will remain beautiful and lustrous. It looks best when set in white gold or silver jewelry mountings much the same as topaz or blue sapphire. When you purchase kyanite  jewelry you should buy the gemstones by their size and not necessarily by the carat weight. The size to weight ratio will change in these colored stones and some Stones might be larger than a diamond when you compare the weight rather than the size.

Once you have the jewelry remember that compared to other stones, this is a bit on the fragile side and a single hard blow can cause the stone to split. It's better not to mix it with other gemstones, especially hard gemstones like diamonds which can easily scratch or fracture the kyanite upon impact.

Moreover, remember to remove your jewelry when engaging in any type of high contact or impact activities like sports, doing the dishes, and so on.

When it comes to cleaning, you don't want to use steamers, harsh chemicals or cleaners, or even ultrasonic cleaners. It's better to use only a mild soap and warm water mixture to clean the stones, warm water to rinse them, and a soft cloth to wipe them dry.

When it comes to storing your jewelry, make sure you keep kyanite away from other Gems, again just so that they don't accidentally impact and fracture. If you have a soft cloth or a fabric lined box for your jewelry, that is the best place to keep your kyanite long-term.