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Kunzite Gem: A Complete Guide to Properties, Healing Uses, and Value

Piedras preciosas de kunzita

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Kunzite is a pink to violet gemstone only discovered in 1902. This gem is the most well-known member of the spodumene mineral family despite being the youngest.

This gem stands apart for its excellent clarity, enchanting colors, and strong pleochroism (displaying different colors from different viewing angles).

Aside from gemologists, most people didn’t know about kunzite until a Sotheby’s auction in 1996. That year, one of the items available was a large kunzite gemstone ring (accented in diamonds) owned by former First Lady Jackie Kennedy. 

Her husband President John F. Kennedy bought it as a Christmas present mere weeks before he was assassinated in November 1963. It ended up selling for $431,250!

Don’t worry, kunzite is also full of bright, joyful qualities! We’ll go over them all today as we discuss kunzite gemstone meanings, healing properties, prices, and more.

What Is Kunzite?

Kunzite is a semi-precious gemstone with gentle, romantic pink to violet hues. It’s subtle and gorgeous enough to rock with any outfit, but it’s dubbed the “evening stone” because unfortunately, it often fades under direct sunlight. 

First called “lilac spodumene,” some old trade names for kunzite include Salmonite, Sicklerite, and “California iris.” All connect to its controversial history, which we’ll cover in a bit!

Any Valentine babies? You’ll be happy to know that kunzite is an alternative February birthstone! It’s also a zodiac stone for Taurus, Leo, and Scorpio.

If you’re celebrating a 32nd wedding anniversary soon but you’re on a budget, kunzite is a more affordable alternative to the traditional morganite!

Kunzite Specifications & Characteristics

The kunzite mineral is a lithium aluminum silicate, alongside fellow spodumene stone hiddenite. Kunzite’s soft hues come from small amounts of manganese that sneak in during its formation.

Is kunzite rare? Somewhat. Kunzite is only really rare in saturated colors and still nowhere near as rare as hiddenite. 

Here are the remaining kunzite properties:

• Mohs hardness: 6.5-7

• Color: Pink, violet, or lilac

• Crystal structure: Monoclinic

• Luster: Vitreous (glass-like)

• Transparency: Transparent to translucent

• Refractive index: 1.66-1.68

• Density: 3.1-3.2

• Cleavage: Perfect, 2 directions

• Fracture: Uneven to subconchoidal

• Streak: White

• Luminescence: Phosphorescence (lasting glow) in orange-pink; Sometimes thermoluminescence (heat-induced glow) in orange

• Pleochroism: Strong in colorless, violet, and pink

Moving from mineral to metaphysical, what does kunzite stone symbolize? 

Kunzite Meaning & History

Though fairly modern, kunzite has gained a myriad of meanings in the last century. Its pink hues reflect healing, unconditional love, and kindness. 

Many feminine qualities have been attributed to kunzite, from legends that female wearers will find their true love to beliefs that it represents fertility. 

The name “kunzite” honors George Kunz, a renowned Tiffany gemologist. Despite popular belief, Kunz didn’t discover the gem. However, at least four different miners may be able to take that credit. 

History: Who Discovered Kunzite First?

Kunzite’s first discovery definitely happened around 1902 near Pala, California, USA. The first alleged discoverer we’ll discuss is Frederick M. Sickler. 

Sickler found the specimens at the White Queen mine, then passed them along to George Kunz in 1902. Kunz realized they were potentially a new spodumene variety. 

Kunz sent samples to a University of North Carolina chemistry professor, Charles Baskerville, who’d eventually choose the name. Together, they published the first full description of the gem in 1904.

Other Discoverers

In late 1902, H.C. Gordon, one of Kunz’s correspondents from the mine, wrote to Kunz to clarify that miners Pedro Peiletch and Beranardo Heriart found it with Sickler at the White Queen mine. 

Furthering confusion, a local newspaper published that Frank A. Salmons actually discovered the gem first at Pala Chief mine. In 1904, Sickler wrote Kunz about this, adding that the Pala Chief mine operators (Salmons being one) wrongfully claimed theirs was the only kunzite deposit. 

At this point, Kunz relied on the Pala Chief mine operators for the best kunzite rough. To split the difference, Kunz stated in his report that Sickler “seems” the rightful discoverer.

Trade Names

Over a decade later in 1915, Kunz still had some disputes. 

The Pala Chief mine secretary R. Fenton pushed for the trade name “California iris,” which had gained traction in European markets, but Kunz believed “kunzite” was the proper title (not a separate trade name). 

The “California iris” name soon faded out, though. Salmons wrote to Kunz in 1919, offering him more samples of “kunzite” — clearly, even Salmons had given up the fight. 

Fortunately, Sickler and Salmons each had completely separate minerals (sicklerite and salmonsite) named after them in 1912.  

Kunzite Healing Properties

All gems can be healing stones that are good for treating different ailments. What is kunzite good for? 

As a pink gemstone, pink kunzite healing properties connect to fertility, romance, and love. It’s no surprise that it’s a powerful chakra stone for the heart chakra! Purple kunzite, like other purple gems, can bring creativity, passion, and spiritual wisdom. 

Read on for the physical and emotional kunzite stone benefits!

Physical Healing

General purported uses for kunzite include aiding the cardiovascular system and cell reproduction. The feminine nature of the kunzite crystal may carry benefits for women, such as treating hormonal imbalance, pregnancy pains, and postpartum depression. 

Emotional Healing

Kunzite can work wonders for emotional healing, dispelling loneliness and opening your heart to unconditionally love yourself, others, and even nature. 

The stone can harmonize your mind and emotions. It’s said to support self-expression and infuse your spirit with joie de vivre, or enthusiastic enjoyment of life. 

It’s certainly a valuable healing crystal, but is kunzite a valuable gemstone? It all depends on its quality. 

Kunzite Gemstone Properties

The array of kunzite jewelry options available is diverse enough to match any buyer’s needs. To be a savvy kunzite shopper, you’ll want to know what to look for. 

Experts determine kunzite’s value similar to most gems, based on its color, clarity, cut, carat weight, and treatments. 

Color

The most influential value factor is kunzite colors. Most kunzite stones are pale, usually light pink. Some are so pale, they appear colorless with a slight pink undertone. Other pink hues include peachy-pink and lilac-pink. 

What is the best color of kunzite? Saturated pink shades and rarer bright purple or magenta hues are most valuable. Bi-colored kunzites are also highly valued. 

Clarity

Kunzite rarely if ever has visible inclusions, giving it a Type I colored gemstone clarity grade. This means most gemstones have good clarity, so it doesn’t affect value too much.  

According to GemVal, almost 65 percent of kunzites they’ve evaluated fall under VVS (Very Very Slightly Included), the highest clarity category. 

Understandably, any gems with visible inclusions will have lower value, but you shouldn’t have trouble finding kunzites without inclusions.

Cut

Kunzite’s perfect cleavage in two directions and strongest color down the longest side (of the crystal) make it somewhat difficult to cut, but extremely rewarding if done well.

The general lack of inclusions opens kunzite up to a world of beautiful faceted cuts, including step cuts like emerald or cushion shapes. You can find the stone in virtually any cut, though, including cabochons and carvings!

Carat Weight

Carat weight doesn’t drastically affect kunzite’s value, as it’s often found in huge sizes. Gemstones from 10-20 carats are pretty common. There’s only a slight increase in price-per-carat for stones under 5 carats vs. stones over 10 carats. 

The Smithsonian currently has the largest known faceted kunzite on display: a whopping 880-carat gem!

Treatments

Some kunzite gems undergo irradiation, heating, or both treatments to enhance or change their color. Irradiation, then heating, then turn colorless kunzite pink. Lower-temperature heat treatments (100-250°C) can turn violet-pink to light pink. 

Additionally, kunzite that has faded in color from sunlight exposure (heat-bleached) can sometimes have its color restored via irradiation. However, it must be put under heat or light right after to remove brown or green undertones.

Experts note that certain countries’ treatments may be more stable. Many kunzites treated in Taiwan or Brazil maintain their color better than those treated in Pakistan.

However, treated kunzite is often more prone to color-fading in sunlight than untreated kunzite.

Kunzite Formation & Sources

Kunzite forms inside pegmatites rich in lithium. First, hot magma rises underground, closer toward Earth’s surface. As the magma cools, cavities, veins, and gas bubbles form. 

Water gets into these spots, collecting dissolved minerals like silica along the way. When it settles, the water eventually evaporates and the minerals crystallize. For kunzite to form, manganese must be present to give the gem its signature coloring.

Mining Locations

While kunzite’s first locale in California is still a significant source, most kunzite currently comes from Pakistan and Afghanistan. 

Other sources include:

• Brazil

• Canada

• Madagascar

• Myanmar (Burma)

• Sweden

• USA (North Carolina & South Dakota)

Notably, Afghanistan’s kunzites can sometimes show intense pleochroism in lush violet, light green, and light violet. Also, some experts believe Pala, California’s kunzite is less photosensitive (prone to fading in sunlight).

Speaking of its quality, how much is kunzite worth? 

Kunzite Price & Value

Despite its luxurious beauty, most kunzite gems are under $20 per carat. Why is kunzite so cheap? Not many people know about it, so popularity isn’t driving up demand (and in turn, prices). 

It’s by no means “cheap” in a colloquial sense – its quality can rival pink sapphire at a fraction of the cost. 

Color is key for kunzite's price. Here are general wholesale rates for faceted kunzite gemstones by color:

• Light pink: $5-$10 per carat

• Medium pink: $15-$30 per carat

• Lilac: $10-$30 per carat

• Deep purple or magenta: $20-$60 per carat

While these gems are often large, kunzites over 10 carats (even in lighter shades) can be up to $180 per carat.

Kunzite cabochons are much lower, ranging from $0.30-$3 per carat at wholesale. You can expect to pay even less for rough kunzite at $0.03-$1.50 per carat.

Kunzite Care and Maintenance

Kunzite has reasonable hardness, but its 2-directional perfect cleavage means a hard blow can split it right down the middle from either angle. We recommend opting for less vulnerable jewelry like kunzite pendants or earrings. Or, you can make your kunzite ring safer with a protective setting.

The most important part of gemstone care for kunzite, especially with treated stones, is avoiding exposing it to direct sunlight or heat. Avoid wearing kunzite jewelry on sunny outdoor days. 

The color-fading isn’t instant; some experts say many natural kunzites fade by 5-15 percent over the years. Every stone can be different, though, so it’s best to err on the side of caution.

Cleaning kunzite is simple. Gently scrub it with a soft toothbrush dipped in a solution of warm water and mild soap. Then, rinse away any residue and dry with a microfiber cloth.

Store your kunzite gem or jewelry in a dark, cool place separate from other gems. 

Are You Keen on Kunzite?

Now that your kunzite knowledge is complete, it’s easy to see why this pink gem is an underrated treasure. Its alluring pink instantly captivates, nurturing love and encouraging you to embrace your own creativity and charisma!

Searching for a soft yet captivating pink gem? Buy kunzite gemstones today!

Kunzite