Gem Profile- Ruby Fuchsite
This week's featured gem or rock is Ruby Fuchsite, which is another stone that Cathy Whitten used in her Ruby Zoisite & Ruby Fuchsite necklace
Ruby Fuchsite is a gem-rock composed of at least two, and often three or more, different minerals.
(A gem-rock contains multiple minerals and is used in jewelry, unlike a gem, which contains only one mineral.)
The silvery-green matrix that holds the bright fuchsia and pink corundum/ruby is a form of muscovite or mica.
Pure muscovite is silvery-white, but when chromium is present during formation, it turns green, creating fuchsite. This is why Ruby Fuchsite pieces are often lighter green than Ruby Zoisite.
Kyanite is also present in many fuchsites, appearing as blue and green streaks or as marine-colored halos surrounding the corundum.
Muscovite is a fascinating, common rock-forming mineral that may be explored in more detail later.
Nuggets of Ruby Fuchsite show the blue-green halo around fuchsia rubies. Blades of kyanite display their natural green and blue colors. (Private Collection - Dale Armstrong)
(A gem-rock contains multiple minerals and is used in jewelry, unlike a gem, which contains only one mineral.)
The silvery-green matrix that holds the bright fuchsia and pink corundum/ruby is a form of muscovite or mica.
Pure muscovite is silvery-white, but when chromium is present during formation, it turns green, creating fuchsite. This is why Ruby Fuchsite pieces are often lighter green than Ruby Zoisite.
Kyanite is also present in many fuchsites, appearing as blue and green streaks or as marine-colored halos surrounding the corundum.
Muscovite is a fascinating, common rock-forming mineral that may be explored in more detail later.
Nuggets of Ruby Fuchsite show the blue-green halo around fuchsia rubies. Blades of kyanite display their natural green and blue colors. (Private Collection - Dale Armstrong)
Fuchsite plays an important role in many lapidary materials.
The green in the mottled dolomite called Mariposite, named after its California origin, comes from fuchsite. When white or clear quartz contains fuchsite, it is called Aventurine.
Jewelry makers can sometimes find designer-style cabochons made from more pure fuchsite, but beware! This material is extremely fragile due to its layered, schist-like structure.
Fuchsite cabochons from Russia often show kyanite inclusions. (Private Collection - Dale Armstrong)
The green in the mottled dolomite called Mariposite, named after its California origin, comes from fuchsite. When white or clear quartz contains fuchsite, it is called Aventurine.
Jewelry makers can sometimes find designer-style cabochons made from more pure fuchsite, but beware! This material is extremely fragile due to its layered, schist-like structure.
Fuchsite cabochons from Russia often show kyanite inclusions. (Private Collection - Dale Armstrong)
As I promised last week, here is a photo comparing the three materials that can often be confused for one another.
As you can see, when they are put side-by-side, there can be no mistake!
Left to right: Ruby Fuchsite, Ruby Zoisite, and Smaragdite from Chunky Gal Mountain, N.C. Private Collection - Dale Armstrong.
As you can see, when they are put side-by-side, there can be no mistake!
Left to right: Ruby Fuchsite, Ruby Zoisite, and Smaragdite from Chunky Gal Mountain, N.C. Private Collection - Dale Armstrong.
The "jewelry grade" Ruby Fuchsite that has become popular with jewelry makers most often comes from mines in India.
However, this material is also found in several other locations such as Brazil, North America, parts of Russia and Pakistan.
A Ruby Fuchsite Necklace made with Antique Brass and Rose colored craft wire by Tracey McKenzie
However, this material is also found in several other locations such as Brazil, North America, parts of Russia and Pakistan.
A Ruby Fuchsite Necklace made with Antique Brass and Rose colored craft wire by Tracey McKenzie
With fuchsite at a Mohs hardness of 2-3 and ruby at 9, polishing this material especially into calibrated cabochons is very challenging. While ruby-containing fuchsite can be softer and sometimes less stable than other gem-rocks, it remains a beautiful material for wire jewelry designs.
Over the past two weeks, we've explored two different gem-rocks that may contain actual gemstones.
Next week's gemstone profile will feature corundum and its stunning variations.
A Ruby Fuchsite cabochon wrapped with Argentium silver wire by Becky Davis.
Over the past two weeks, we've explored two different gem-rocks that may contain actual gemstones.
Next week's gemstone profile will feature corundum and its stunning variations.
A Ruby Fuchsite cabochon wrapped with Argentium silver wire by Becky Davis.
Resources
Book Resources:
Minerals of the World by Walter Schumann,
ISBN 0-8069-8570-4
Gem and Lapidary Materials by June Culp Zeitne, ISBN 945005-24-5
Internet Resources:
www.wikipedia.org
Book Resources:
Minerals of the World by Walter Schumann,
ISBN 0-8069-8570-4
Gem and Lapidary Materials by June Culp Zeitne, ISBN 945005-24-5
Internet Resources:
www.wikipedia.org
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Dale Armstrong
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