4.13 ct Octagon Colourless Petalite

This lovely 4.13 carat natural petalite is completely colourless.

Also known as castorite.

Weight: 4.13 carat
Cut: Step
Colour: Colourless
Length: 14 mm
Width: 8 mm
Depth: 5 mm
Origin: Namibia
Treatment: None
Certificate: No – Can be certified at an extra charge.

About Petalite:

Species: Petalite
Deposits found in: Western Austalia, Brazil (Minas Gerais), Italy (Elba), Namibia, Sweden, Zimbabwe, USA.
Known colours: Colourless, pink or yellowish
Mohs Hardness: 6 – 6.5

First described by Joze Bonifacio de Andrada e Silva in 1800, petalite gets its name from the Greek word petalon, meaning “leaf,” which refers to its cleavage.

Because of its lithium content, non-gem quality petalite is useful as a raw material in the production of glass and ceramic glazes. Petalite of gem quality is rarish, and mostly only valuable to collectors. It is quite soft so not suitable for jewellery that will be worn every day.

Petalite of this size is very rare, since the gemstone is most commonly found in aggregates rather than individual crystals, making these a fair addition to a minerologist or gemologist’s collection.

Please note: We take great care to ensure that the photographs are an accurate representation of the actual stone, but due to differences in screen quality and resolution, and the fact that the colour of a gemstone is dependent on the type of light it is viewed in, some variation is possible.