Hiddenite Gemstone: Complete Guide on Properties, Meanings, and Uses!

Hiddenite is a spodumene mineral variety with large amounts of chromium (a prominent element in stainless steel). This unique gem is found in shades ranging from colorless to deep, dark green. 

These tree-colored beauties sometimes come in shades that make it quite difficult to differentiate them from the beryl gemstone, emerald. Is hiddenite a valuable gemstone like an emerald? We’ll answer that as we traverse through the hiddenite properties, history, and uses in this article. 

This year, the color green was very in throughout the fashion world. Symbolic of nature, green evokes feelings of tranquility and calmness, matching Mother Nature’s similar grounding vibes. 

Fashion designers have incorporated all shades of green into their latest collections, from turquoise to lime green, and emerald to forest green. And that’s why we’re seeing a boom in demand for green gemstones.

Whether you prefer the lighter mint tones or darker evergreen hues, hiddenite gems have a shade just for you. Hiddenite raw gems come in all sorts of greens, offering a variety of hiddenite jewelry options for any outfit. 

These prismatic gems offer more than just an earthy style — hiddenite benefits for our bodies and mind are abundant.

So, what does a hiddenite stone mean spiritually? What are the stone’s uses, and how can you get your hands on hiddenite jewelry? By the end of this article, you’ll know all of the important hiddenite properties, benefits, and meanings.

Let’s start with the basics: what does a hiddenite stone mean?

What is Hiddenite?

Hiddenite might seem like a strange name for a stone. What’s so hidden about it? How did hiddenite get its name? The stone was named after the mineralogist who discovered it: W.E. Hidden.

Hiddenite’s discovery occurred during Hidden’s 1979 expedition to North Carolina, a trip dedicated to finding platinum for inventor Thomas Edison’s light bulb. The expedition’s pragmatic purpose transformed into an aesthetic and adventurous result. Instead of the useful platinum, Hidden discovered a green-toned spodumene variety.

The jaw-dropping green crystal had quite the effect on the town where it was discovered — the locals named the town Hiddenite!

Regarding color, hiddenite shows gorgeous deep green tones, leading some mineralogists to nickname it lithia emerald. There’s even yellow hiddenite, though it’s uncommon. You can usually find hiddenite in different shades of green, ranging from pale mint to evergreen.

The stone’s color channels Mother Nature, whose connection many felt more strongly in the last two years. With the pandemic’s frequent lockdowns and worldwide restrictions, many people embraced all of Mother Nature’s glory, swapping restaurants with gardening, museums with bird watching, and spas with forest baths. 

Gorgeous, right? Anyone can enjoy the mystical green colors of hiddenite —  but Libras can especially enjoy the stone’s benefits since it acts as their alternative zodiac stone!

So, what else is there to learn about the physical aspects of hiddenite? 

Hiddenite Mineral Characteristics

Hiddenite gemstones are a green-toned variety of spodumene, a pyroxene mineral commonly used as a source of lithium. 

Environmentally-conscious people will be happy with Hiddenite’s earthy colors and its chemical composition, which help reduce greenhouse gases. 

Many miners source lithium from spodumene to create batteries for electric vehicles, a key component to many countries’ climate action plans. Another spodumene variety with lithium is kunzite, so you may wonder: is hiddenite the same as kunzite? Chemically, they’re very similar, but kunzite usually comes in shades of purple and pink. 

Identifying Hiddenite

Have you ever been to a crystal store and noticed those long, prismatic selenite wands? Hiddenite’s prismatic crystals are almost identical, but they are green instead of white. 

With hiddenite’s similarities to other stones — selenite, emeralds, kunzite — how do you identify a hiddenite gem? Luckily, the truth isn’t hidden if you know what to look for.

Here’s a trick — you can usually tell a hiddenite stone apart from others through its pleochroism, a phenomenon where gemstones display different colors depending on the viewing angle. You can generally see hiddenite’s deepest tones at the top of the gem and its lighter tones on the sides. 

The list below goes into greater detail about the hiddenite properties. 

Hiddenite Specifications & Characteristics

• Color: Light to dark green, yellow to green, and colorless (rare)

• Crystal Structure: Monoclinic

• Luster: Vitreous

• Transparency: Transparent

• Refractive Index: 1.66-1.68

• Density: 3.03-3.23

• Cleavage: Perfect

• Fracture: Uneven

• Fluorescence: Shows red, yellow, orange, or pink fluorescence under long-wave and short-wave UV.  

• Pleochroism: Distinct in colorless, emerald-green, and blue-green or green-yellow

Hiddenite’s vitreous luster gives it a pretty, glass-like appearance. Pretty for the viewer, that is, but not so much for the lapidarist (gem cutter). 

Hiddenite Cut

Hiddenite’s pleochroism and perfect cleavage make it somewhat tricky to cut. Faceted cuts aren’t common for hiddenite, as they might compromise the stone’s pleochroism and color. If a gem cutter isn’t meticulous with this particular gem, they risk damaging the stone. 

Emerald cuts are more common, which are a special type of faceted cut that has small, subtle ridges along the edges of a gem’s rectangular-shaped cut. Dramatic faceted stones are trickier to cut, however. That’s why you’ll often find raw hiddenite for sale in its rectangular prism shape, retaining its natural form in monoclinic (slanted) crystals. 

Lapidaries often opt for the cabochon (smooth round surface) or emerald cuts (rectangular with stepped facets). If a lapidarist pulls off a difficult hiddenite cut, they’ll be rewarded handsomely. Hiddenite gemstone value is highest for custom cuts. 

Given the stone’s perfect cleavage, how durable is hiddenite? Let’s see what the stone’s Mohs rating means for its strength and durability. 

Is Hiddenite Durable?

Hiddenite scores a 6.5-7 on the Mohs mineral hardness scale. Other stones at this ranking include garnet and garnet blends like hessonite. Some opals even make it to the 6.5 ranking, despite other opal varieties ranking at a lower 5. So what does a 6.5-7 mean in terms of strength and durability?

The Mohs ranking for hiddenite is considered pretty hard, and able to scratch glass (which has a 5.5 Mohs ranking). But hiddenite jewelry is often mounted in protective settings. Why is that, if it has high durability according to the Mohs scale? It comes down to its perfect cleavage. 

Gems with perfect cleavage like hiddenite are easy to split or break, necessitating protective settings for hiddenite jewelry. 

We know it was discovered in North Carolina, but where can hiddenite be found today? 

Hiddenite Mining Locations

Though North Carolina is the most common location for hiddenite, miners have also found them in other places across the globe. 

Contrary to the stone’s secretive name, you can find hiddenite in:

• Brazil

• Madagascar

• Afghanistan

• Pakistan

• China

Now that we’ve covered the basics of hiddenite properties, cut, and mining locations, you might wonder: what is hiddenite used for? 

The better question is: what isn’t hiddenite used for? Let’s dive into all the ways hiddenite can bring joy into your life and improve your well-being.

Hiddenite Healing Properties

Rarity and value aren’t the only selling points for gemstones. While gemstones are beautiful wonders of nature and make for stunning jewelry, you can dive even deeper by learning about their fascinating healing properties. 

You might want a gem that makes you feel confident, comfortable, and fulfilled, like hiddenite!

First, we’ll look at chakra healing with hiddenite, before covering the stone’s abundant health benefits!

Hiddenite Chakra Healing

Chakras are energy centers along the body, each attending to different areas of your mind, body, and soul. What chakra is hiddenite connected to? Here are some hints:

• Do you ever feel nervous about receiving love?

• Are you distrusting of other people? 

• Do you find yourself afraid to jump headfirst into a relationship or even a friendship? 

You might find some answers in Cosmo, but as much as we all love a good advice column, it won’t open up a closed heart chakra! 

Hiddenite connects with our heart chakra or anahata in Sanskrit. Anahata means “unhurt” or “unstruck,” similar to how you’ll feel when your heart chakra is free-flowing and open!

An open heart chakra makes you receptive to love and uplifting emotions. You’ll feel inclined to fully experience emotion and appreciate the experience without ruminating on the what-ifs. How else can you open your heart chakra?

Why not wear a hiddenite gemstone ring or pendant? Carry all those good vibes everywhere you go to feel more generous, loving, and compassionate.  

Are you sold yet? If you already love hiddenite, wait until you hear about the stone’s emotional benefits.

Hiddenite Emotional Healing

These days, stress is no stranger, it affects us all, whether it’s from strained relationships, financial issues, or any one of the thousands of problems we all face.

Nicknamed the “Crystal of Evolution,” hiddenite is thought to help us manage stress more effectively. If you worry about the future and life’s uncertainties, hiddenite may help you feel more present and at ease. 

Crystal healers see hiddenite as an overall comfort for emotional problems, including grief, loss, and heartbreak. If you’ve lost someone close to you or feel displaced from job loss, hiddenite empowers you to take a deep breath through the struggle and carry on with grace. 

Physical Hiddenite Benefits

Have you ever tripped on your shoelaces? Clumsy Libras, we’re looking at you! Hiddenite is a  stabilizing stone, offering support for clumsiness and solidifying a strong foundation for those suffering from mobility issues.

How else can hiddenite help you physically? Here are some purported uses:

• Helps with heart conditions and blood issues

• Boosts the endocrine system

• Decreases pain from lung and skin diseases

• Minimizes physical symptoms of anxiety

Hiddenite is really a superstar gem! The various hiddenite uses can help with a myriad of physical and metaphysical ailments, including balancing the chakras, improving physical health, stabilizing emotions, and of course, elevating your style!

Alright, now you must be wondering how expensive this gemstone is. What is hiddenite worth? 

Hiddenite Price & Value

If your wardrobe is begging you for hiddenite jewelry, be prepared to make a spendy splurge. Hiddenite cost starts at about $100 per carat, significantly more than the starting prices of other beautiful gems like opal or tourmaline.

What makes these green crystals so pricey? Clarity plays a role, but so does rarity. Is hiddenite rare? Let’s find out!

Hiddenite Rarity

There’s a reason why some people call hiddenite the “Carolina Emerald.” Despite having a lower value than emeralds, hiddenite is equally as rare. The rarest specimens display the deepest green — think green bell peppers or lush rainforests.

Remember how we mentioned the difficulty of faceted cuts for hiddenite? The lapidarists who manage to achieve it offer another rare quality to some hiddenite gemstones. The deepest green, custom-cut hiddenite gemstones are rare and consequently more expensive.

How does hiddenite look when crafted into a cute pendant or earrings? Let’s find out!

Hiddenite Jewelry

Jewelry options for hiddenite are endless. Do you want to channel a mystical vibe with energy bracelets? Try out a beaded bracelet with alternating hiddenite and kunzite gems. Trust us, this isn't a case of hiddenite vs kunzite. You’ll love the way green and purple dance together to add splashes of color to your look.

More of a traditionalist? You might like a teardrop-shaped hiddenite gemstone ring or a simple pair of hiddenite earrings.

But to really maximize the hiddenite spiritual meaning as well as its aesthetic, you should go for a raw hiddenite pendant. Close to the heart, your necklace will help you maximize heart chakra alignment while adding earthy vibes to your look!

After you pick the perfect piece, you’ll want to learn how to keep them shining for as long as possible!

How to Care for Hiddenite Jewelry 

Remember how we mentioned hiddenite’s perfect cleavage and subsequent potential for breakage? Hiddenite cleaves easily, so you'll need to take special care of them. Treat them with love and clean them with a damp cloth rather than an ultrasonic cleaner.

Be sure to also wear hiddenite with caution. Irradiated hiddenite stones require extra gentle care. Avoid prolonged exposure to light and heat to prevent color fading. Don’t let them sit in the light for too long, especially if they’re deeper shades, as their color could fade. 

Reveal Your Hidden Potential with Hiddenite! 

You’re now ready to take all this hiddenite knowledge and go forth on your quest for a hiddenite piece that’s earthly and divine! Embrace all the green hues and grounding energy of hiddenite. Your fashion sense and heart chakra will thank you. 

Browse hiddenite gemstones from Gem Rock Auctions today!

Spodumene