Benitoite, California's Gemstone
Okay, gemstone and jewelry fans, I've got one for you: What is benitoite?
California native
If you have never heard of this stone, you are not alone. Shame on you if you're a Californian, because it's your official state gemstone! And it's found pretty much only in California as well. Oh, you'll find a little bit of poor quality benitoite in Japan, Australia, Arkansas, the Sierra Nevadas, and perhaps in deposits yet undiscovered. But if you declared it as a California exclusive, you would be right when referring to gem quality benitoite.
Como se dice benitoite
How do you say 'benitoite' correctly? I'll bet you're wondering which syllable to accent. I'll give you a hint. Benitoite is named after the California county where it is found: San Benito County, making the gemstone's pronunciation the same as a guy I know, Ben Ito, then adding "ite."
Benitoite v. sapphire
Benitoite is blue and no, it's not a sapphire although it surely does look like one. Its chemical formula, BaTiSi3O9, shows that barium and titanium exist in the molecule. Unlike benitoite, sapphire is an aluminum oxide. Like benitoite, sapphire gets its blue color from titanium. The blue color, however, would fool everyone except the chemists!
Mohs hardness for benitoite is 6.0 - 6.5. It is not as hard as sapphire is at 9.0. Yet, when a gem quality benitoite specimen is cut, the facets reflect the blue beauty much like a sapphire.
Comparing benitoite to sapphire, one might assume greater expense for sapphire based on its reputation for value and beauty. When considering price, however, many variables enter the picture, making even similar gemstones uncomparable. One carat of loose, cut benitoite gemstone markets at about $1300. One carat of faceted sapphire goes for about $800. (Prices vary widely; these are generalizations.) The difference in price is undoubtedly accountable from the relative rarity of gem quality benitoite.
California exclusive
Fifty carats of benitoite are currently showing in a butterfly brooch. Designed by Buzz Green and Bernadine Johnson, the stunning benitoite brooch can be seen at the "All That Glitters" jewelry and gemstone exhibition showing until April 8, 2012, at San Diego Natural History Museum.
One of thirteen such butterfly brooches set with precious gems, the benitoite design stands out as the understandable favorite among the locals. Benitoite occupies a space among the rare, dear, and beautiful things already occupying California.
Sources:
Published by Lorraine Yapps Cohen
I design jewelry free from the constraints of textbook techniques and write non-fiction free from the rigors of technical expression. Chemist by training, creative by spirit, conservative in values, and art... View profile
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6 Comments
Post a CommentWonderful and I tried accessing some things from profiles earlier and was not able to - but at least it is being worked on.
Once again, you make stones come to life. (I esp. like your explanation of the pronunciation.)
I finally got a chance to hunt down these missing articles. My e-mail is eerily quiet today. Abby Willow published a ton of articles at once and they all had broken links, so that's no good for the page views. I have so many things I want to publish. This is very frustrating. Interesting article, by the way.
Nice work!
I did leave a comment on this one yesterday...had trouble, they seem to take and a few that I went back to didn't or others had 2 or 3 comments. Something is up. And I remember saying something like this is the perfect stone for CA because it reminds me of the ocean.
Lorraine, just so you know - the link that was emailed out isn't working. I had to access your profile and read this article about
Benitoite, California's Gemstone from your Profile page. Nicely done, cheers ;) (p.s. I was coming over to send you a msg that it was missing in action and I saw it on your profile page!)