Black Sunstone – Weekly Gemstone Discoveries
This week at Vittori & Hive we stumbled across a cracking silver ring by Paul Edward Bunn. You can see this ring here: https://vi-hi.com/product/black-sunstone-silver-ring-hallmark-paul-edward-bunn-2006/
This was a fascinating ring for us. Initially we thought this ring was costume jewellery. It was so dirty & for all intents the front panel looked plastic. It was only upon getting a deep clean, that we found hallmarks. This lead us to look into Black Sunstones….
Sunstone Gemstones
Sunstone is a microcline or oligoclase feldspar, which when viewed from certain directions exhibits a spangled appearance. It has been found in Southern Norway, Sweden, various United States localities and on some beaches along the midcoast of South Australia.
Black Sunstones come largely from a mine in India…
Some artisans use sunstone for small carvings and sculptures. Material up to three inches in size has been found, and some of these large stones are used for carving. Sunstone beads are also popular.
The name “sunstone” is used for specimens of translucent to transparent feldspar that produce bright metallic flashes when light interacts with tiny plate-like mineral inclusions within the stone. These mineral inclusions usually have a common orientation, and light entering the stone reflects from them at a common angle. This produces a flash of light in the eye of the observer who views them at the proper angle. This optical phenomenon is known as “aventurescence.”
The inclusions in sunstone are usually tiny plates of copper, hematite, or goethite. They are usually aligned parallel to one of the crystallographic planes within the stone. The inclusions in sunstone can be so small that they are not visible to the unaided eye, or they can be large enough to be clearly visible. The inclusions are extremely thin. Even though they might be large enough to be clearly seen face-on, they are often too thin to be visible when viewed from the side.
The Sunstone Cut is Everything…
The artisans who cut sunstone must study the stone before they begin work. If the stone is cut at a random orientation, the aventurescence will be less than optimal. The maximum flash and a symmetrical flash in a cabochon is obtained when the stone is cut with the platelets oriented parallel to the top and bottom of the stone. In this orientation the cabochon usually shows maximum colour when viewed from directly above, and the aventurescence is symmetrical.
Sunstones contain hematite or goethite inclusions, which reflect light in parallel orientation and create a sparkling sheen in gold to brown colour shades. These gems may be oligoclase or labradorite in composition and are much admired as a cabochon material among hobbyists.
Metaphysical Properties of Black Sunstone
It is an abundance stone and encourages independence and originality. It is inspirational in revealing talents, and attracts fame and unexpected prosperity. Sunstone is a powerful aid to bring joy and other positive feelings into your life.
They have a strong solar energy, and they embody within them the warmth, strength, and openness of the sun. Sunstone is highly effective in cleansing the aura and chakras, and for removing hooks from possessive loved ones, lovers, or anyone draining of your energies.
Sunstone surrounds these hooks with love and positive energy, and returns them to the source. It is especially beneficial when ties need to be cut, or if you have difficulty saying “No.” It helps remove co-dependency, overcomes procrastination, and encourages self-empowerment and independence.
A lot of the information in this blog post has come from the excellent Sunstone Article on Geolgy.com. You can find this article there: https://geology.com/gemstones/sunstone/
Geology.com is an excellent resource for finding very specific information. It is very well written – you do not need to be a Geologist to understand – you just need to have an interest.
