What does natural rhodonite look like?
A well-known Ural ornamental stone of pink color, which received its name in honor of the queen of flowers – the rose. A mineral is a substance homogeneous in structure and composition that is part of a rock, meteorite or ore, formed in the earth’s crust or its water shell as a result of natural physical and chemical processes. Jewelry stones (both precious and semi-precious) are beautiful and rare varieties of a particular mineral. Rhodonite Density It is the ratio of the mass of a substance to the volume it occupies. When comparing two objects with the same volume, the one whose density is higher will be heavier. 3,5–3,7 g/cm³ Mohs hardness A relative scale of mineral hardness, with Mohs 1 being the least hard and 10 being the hardest. The standard for the greatest hardness is a diamond with a rating of 10 on the Mohs scale. Shades of pink, red, yellow, black
History of rhodonite
Rhodonite comes from the Greek word meaning “rose.” In the East, rhodonite was commonly called the “stone of dawn.” Advertising – Continued below The main color of the mineral is soft pink, but the palette of shades is very diverse. The stones come in matte and transparent pink, raspberry and even dark cherry. The most common variety of the mineral is called “eagle” – an almost completely opaque stone of pink shades with black veins, including impurities of other minerals. Orlets is also used in jewelry as an ornamental stone. 
A much rarer variety is pure rhodonite, sometimes completely transparent, reminiscent of a ruby with its rich scarlet color. Advertising – Continued below Rhodonite was first used in jewelry in Russia. The famous jeweler Carl Faberge admired the beauty of this stone. In September 1913, Faberge ordered 20 pounds of the highest quality rhodonite for his works and paid a huge amount for it. This is how a lot of rhodonite jewelry from the famous manufacturer was born, including Faberge eggs, which he made for the imperial family for Easter. Read more:
Faberge: 10 facts about the famous jewelry house
Rhodonite deposits
More than a century and a half ago, rhodonite began to be mined in the Urals. It is the Urals that are considered the main deposit of the mineral. However, beautiful pink stone is also mined in other countries. Thus, the main suppliers of rhodonite to the world market are Madagascar and Australia. And for less demanding buyers who do not use rhodonite in jewelry, those stones that are delivered from Uzbekistan, Japan, Spain, the USA and Mexico may be suitable. Rhodonite in these countries is mined in small quantities and its quality is far from the Ural finds. Advertising – Continued below
Magical and healing properties of rhodonite
No one has disputed the magical properties of the stone for a long time. Women were advised to wear it so that they could arrange their personal lives – with the help of rhodonite they bewitched men. It is still believed that having a stone in your home helps maintain peace and tranquility in it, taking away negative energy. Rhodonite has another unique property – healing. Previously, doctors advised women who could not conceive to wear rhodonite. Modern gynecologists consider this stone to be their professional assistant and talisman. The stone has a beneficial effect on all body systems, including helping the heart work. Advertising – Continued below
Who is suitable for rhodonite?
It is believed that the stone is especially suitable for the fire signs of the Zodiac – Sagittarius, Aries or Leo. However, there is an opinion that Gemini and Libra can also count on the miraculous properties of the stone. In general, rhodonite is perfect for people of creative professions – the stone will support their endeavors, guide and inspire them. Read more:
Documentary film “Faberge: Living Your Life” In addition, rhodonite is considered the best amulet for children. Many believe that if a child is given a gem to wear, the child will certainly grow up strong, brave and healthy.
Did you know that.
Rhodonite was used to decorate the columns at the Mayakovskaya metro station in Moscow.
In the Hermitage you can see a rhodonite vase in the shape of a huge font. In St. Petersburg, in the Peter and Paul Cathedral, there is a unique sarcophagus weighing 7 tons, carved from a single piece of rhodonite, the original weight of which was 47 tons. I ended my last publication about rhodonite with the magical properties of the stone, in this one I will continue the story about the gem and start with where and how the mineral is used. Rhodonite is mainly used for making souvenirs: boxes, inkwells, ashtrays, snuff boxes; in addition, you can find vases, candelabra, candlesticks, and glasses made of rhodonite. Rhodonite is very popular among craftsmen who make jewelry – in their piggy banks you can see many products made from this stone – brooches, beads, bracelets, pendants and much more. Rhodonite cabochons are especially beautiful; you can often see some kind of landscape in them. 
Rhodonite is also used to make obelisks and monuments. For example, in Moscow the columns of the Mayakovskaya metro station are lined with it. 
Rhodonite plates make very beautiful stained glass windows, chandeliers and lamps. This becomes possible due to the fact that thin plates of stone are translucent; when illuminated, the intensity and depth of color changes and the patterns appear clearly. 
Jewelry with rhodonite is not worn constantly; sometimes it needs to be removed and washed under running water. The stone can be washed with soapy water and cleaned with a soft cloth. Do not use hard brushes. Rhodonite should be protected from prolonged exposure to sunlight, as this may cause it to change color. Follow these simple rules and rhodonite jewelry will delight you for a long time! 
What stones does rhodonite go with? For a successful creative career, rhodonite should be combined with tiger’s eye. To increase material wealth, rhodonite is combined with jade. For successful reconciliation after a quarrel, the union of rhodonite and turquoise will help. How to distinguish from a fake. Rhodonite is not a very expensive stone, so fakes are not common. Mostly they pass it off as pink glass or plastic. But it is not difficult to distinguish natural stone from imitation. First of all, you should carefully consider the coloring. As a rule, in natural stone the color is not uniform; there are patterns and inclusions. Estimate the weight of the product – natural stone is heavy, plastic, on the contrary, is very light. Temperature test. Hold the stone in your hands for a while and then apply it to your cheek – the natural stone will remain cool, but the glass will quickly heat up and will be warm when touched. Using these methods, you can check almost any stone for naturalness. 
And in conclusion, some interesting facts about rhodonite. The largest monolith was mined in Russia, in the Urals. Its weight was 46.7 tons. In order to deliver such a giant to the stone-cutting factory, a special road was built. And the factory had to build a special room. The sarcophagus of Empress Maria Alexandrovna was made from the giant. Its weight is 6.7 tons and it is located in the city of St. Petersburg in the Peter and Paul Cathedral, in the tomb of the Romanov family. In the Hermitage you can see many interesting products made from rhodonite. The most notable item is a bowl made from a single piece, measuring 180x125x88 cm and weighing 2.2 tons. That’s all about rhodonite. I hope you were interested in learning about this beautiful mineral.
