Kunzite Beads
Kunzite beads are the pink to lilac variety of spodumene, a lithium aluminum silicate mineral that forms long striated crystals in pegmatites. It was discovered in 1902 and named in 1903 for George Frederick Kunz, the Tiffany gemologist who first described it. This collection holds natural kunzite in a range of finishes and shapes for bracelets, necklaces and earrings.
Appearance
The color is a soft pink, sometimes with a violet cast, and it is often pale enough to look nearly colorless in small beads. Larger pieces show more depth, and the stone is pleochroic, so the pink reads stronger when viewed down the length of the crystal than across it. Many beads carry fine parallel striations and small internal fractures.
A polished finish gives kunzite a glassy luster that suits its pale color; faceting makes the most of clear material. Kunzite is 6.5 to 7 on the Mohs scale but it splits easily along 2 cleavage directions, so it chips on hard knocks and should be strung with some slack and stored apart from heavier beads. Its pink can fade after long exposure to strong sunlight, so keep it out of a sunny window.
Formation and origin
Spodumene crystallizes in lithium-rich granite pegmatites, where it can grow into crystals several feet long, and most of it is mined as an industrial lithium ore. Clear gem crystals are rare by comparison. The pink of kunzite comes from traces of manganese; the same mineral colored green by chromium is called hiddenite. The first kunzite came from Pala in San Diego County, California, and today the main sources are Afghanistan and Pakistan, Brazil and Madagascar.
Pairings
Angelite beads: powder blue beside pale pink, 2 gentle pastels that both suit necklaces and earrings better than hard-wearing bracelets.
Strawberry quartz beads: a deeper pink with red inclusions that gives pale kunzite more weight.
Rose quartz beads: the same soft pink family, with a tougher stone to carry the bracelet wear.
Lore and Meaning
Kunzite meaning in crystal traditions centers on the heart: it is described as a stone of unconditional love, emotional openness and gentleness, and it is almost always placed with the heart chakra. As a lithium mineral it is also said to bring calm and lightness. Its lore is modern, since the stone has only been known for a little over a century. These are traditional beliefs, not claims of physical effect.
