aVENTURINE

Faceted aventurine ring

Variety:  Aventurine
Species:  Quartz
​​Mohs Hardness:  7 out of 10
Color:  Usually green, but can be orange, brown, yellow, blue, or gray
Phenomena:  Aventurescence
RI:  1.544 to 1.553 (very constant)
Birefringence:  Usually not detectable
SR/DR/AGG:  AGG
Optic Character:  Uniaxial positive.  Might show a bull's eye or Airy's spiral optic figure and Brazil law twinning under crossed polarizing filters.
Spectrum:  Bands around 649nm & 682nm
Fluorescence:  Inert to weak grayish green or reddish under LW and SW
SG:  2.66 (+0.03 / -0.02)
Routine Treatments:  None
Additional Enhancements:  Dyeing

aventurine Facts

Close-up of the glittery inclusions in aventurine quartz

Aventurine is a green variety of quartz with a glittery appearance.

Aventurine can also occur in orange, brown, yellow, blue, or gray hues.

Aventurine's glittery phenomena is known as "aventurescence", which is caused by light reflecting off of its many plate-like inclusions.

Green and blue aventurine are a result of fuschite inclusions.

Orange and brown aventurescence is attributed to hematite or goethite inclusions.

Golden metallic pyrite inclusions may also cause a glittery effect.

aventurine Gallery

All photos courtesy of Scott Papper, GIA GG, AJP, CMA (NAJA)