Aventurine Gemstones - A type of quartz
Introduction
Aventurine gemstone is a type of quartz, actually the chalcedony quartz group, which has a unique transparent to opaque clarity, which is a feature caused by the high number of inclusions found in the stone. The inclusions are also the ones that are responsible for the glittery or shimmering effect, which is aptly termed as aventurescence. This is a phenomenon that is caused by these inclusions which have a leaf-like or late-like appearance, brought about by the presence of mica. The mica is distributed well within the crystal of the gemstone. When light catches these inclusions, it is reflected back to the viewer´s eyes, and this is what is seen as sparkling within the stone. Although aventurine is mainly seen in its green color, it is also found in white, orange, blue, yellow and colors ranging from reddish brown to grey.
Aventurine has such a striking appearance that the name is also used commonly when describing gemstones that show the same sparkly effect, caused by many inclusions within the stone, or seen as having some form of aventurescence. The name Aventurine comes from the Italian words which mean "by chance"; the words are "per aventura". In the 18th century, according to legend, Venetian glass makers mixed in copper filings into the glass mixture, and they managed to come up with a glass that seemed to sparkle from within due to these filings.
Green aventurine gemstone carries a lot of respect and is associated with chance, opportunity and luck. It is also said to develop creative intuition and also increase the wearer´s powers of perception. People who truly believe in the powers of this gemstone. Will usually carry it in their left pockets when they are about to do something that depends on luck or chance, such as buying a lottery ticket. The left pocket is chosen because Left and Luck are words that both begin with the letter "L". It is also said that Green aventurine increases the libido of the wearer and it is also, in conjunction with the Tourmaline, the gemstone associated with the 8th anniversary of marriage.
Self-discipline, the building of inner strength and the increase in positive attitudes are features that are attributed to the Blue Aventurine. There have been testimonies from people who have claimed that the Blue aventurine has made them have powerful feeling of self-assuredness. For those who do not believe in myths and legends, the blue aventurine is still a wonderful gemstone, which have beautiful flecks made of mica, which are quite spellbinding. The name mica, but the way, is said to come from the Latin word Mica, which means Crumbs; it may also have come from the name Micare, which means Glittery.
Sunstone also known as aventurine feldspar is sometimes confused with the red and orange varieties of aventurine quartzite, although the feldspar has a high level of transparency. Aventurine is commonly banded and the opaque quality is brought about by high quantities of fuchsite in the crystal; this can lead one to confuse the gemstone with malachite, at first glance.
Generally, aventurine is a gemstone that has been used for centuries in the making of jewelry, and it is found in large sizes, not normally seen in other gemstones. It is used to create other items such as Bowls, Vases and sometimes smoking pipes. China, India, Brazil, Tanzania, The Ural Mountains of Russia and the United States of America are some of the countries where aventurine is found in considerable deposits.
The chemical and physical properties of Aventurine gemstones
Aventurine is a gemstone that van be found in several colors, and the most popular are Green, Gray, Brown and Yellow. It is commonly called aventurine quartz in mineralogical circles, of the quartz species. This is a gemstone that has a translucent to opaque clarity. The green aventurine is mistakenly called the Indian Jade. It has a refractive index of 1.544 to 1.553, which is considered to be quite constant. This is a gemstone with a birefringence of 0.009.
Aventurine is chemically known as silicon dioxide, also known as silica and has the formula SiO2. It has a crystalline synthesis system and is formed naturally, meaning that it is difficult to synthesize. It has an aggregate crystal system.
Aventurine is quite a tough gemstone with a hardness of 7 on the Mohs scale, and as a white streak. It has a specific gravity ranging from 2.64 to 2.69, but on average, 2.66. It has a good toughness making it ideal for making faceted gemstones. It has a vitreous luster, with great stability, and has a conchoidal fracture which can be granular. Aventurine quarts has inclusion, which can be seen under magnification, which are green, disk-like, fuchsite chrome-mica flakes or platelets. It has a cleavage that can be characterized as poor to none.
The formation of aventurine is highly dependent on what types of impurities are present in the original sedimentary deposits which is rich in quartz during the high grade metamorphic process. The impurities will then turn into mica. The presence of chromium, causes the Muscovite Mica, which is green in color, to be distributed through the crystal in parallel orientation. This is how aventurine gets its green color. However, there are other colors as has been discussed before. Those with an orange, brown or yellow color are formed due to the presence of goethite and hematite inclusions.
The myths and legends of aventurine
There is very little reference to aventurine; however, there is a lot of myth and legend surrounding quartz, from time immemorial. For example it was believed, in ancient Persia, that when a quartz rock was laced on a baby, it will breast feed better.
In Australia, the ancient tribes believed that the stone would bring rain. In America the native tribes used quartz to make arrowheads, ornaments, divining stones and knives. In West Africa, there are tribes who made ceremonial seats from one single quartz crystal. In Britain, those who initially settled there thought that quartz could purify water and could also cure some ailments, including sterility.
2.5 million years ago, in the Omo Valley found in Ethiopia, the inhabitants make their earliest primitive tools out of quartz; these are tools such as axes, and on examination aventurine was found to be in them. Quartz was used in the making of tools because it was very hard and the isotropic brittle nature makes it very easy to work into tools.
For many centuries, aventurine has been the main mineral used in the making of bowls, vases and other types of jewelry and ornamental items. At the Hermitage Art Museum in St. Petersburg in Russia, you can find one very old and unique vase, which is made purely out of bright aventurine.
Green aventurine is always associated with chance, and is sometimes referred to as the good luck shamrock of the mineral world. It is also mistakenly called the Stone of Heaven, also known as the Indian Jade. This is a stone that is loving referred to as the Gambler´s Rock, since in all the stone that bring about good luck, it is referred to as the luckiest. Many people place aventurine in their charm bags to bring good fortune into their lives. It is also believed that having aventurine near you when you sleep will bring about psychic dreams, and also bring answers to problems that you may be going through; it is also said that one can dream of the future during such moments, which means that the stone has clairvoyant properties. There are people who say that it has a great amount of Earth energy, and can be left as a gift for the spirits of nature.
In metaphysical circles, aventurine is associated with the Zodiac sign of Aries; it is also associated with the heart chakra and the element of earth. It is said to have healing and purification properties and that it brings about abundance, luck and opportunity. This is a mineral that is valued as a source of insight, creativity and confidence, making it preferred by people who want to provide exemplary leadership. It calms and soothes the psyche, and bring harmony and balance to the male and female energies in any individual.
In Modern stone therapy, it is said to calm anxiety and panic attacks, which can mistakenly seem like cardiac arrests; it does so by regulating the rhythm of the heart. It is also said to calm the emotions of a person. In psychotherapy circles, it is said to bring about complete healing, and can also treat muscle inflexibility.
It should be noted that stone therapy should not be used as an alternative to medical treatment, and should only be used as an enhancement of health and well-being.
The testimony of an aventurine aficionado
According to one gemstone lover, the name aventurine is commonly misspelt as aDventurine. This aficionado says that it took a while before he could see the difference in the name, but he too, went on calling the gemstone ADventurine. He says that it is interesting to note that the stone is said to provide some adventure in the life of the wearer. It is through this mineral that he started seeing the reason why the stone is said to bring about adventure and did not see the need to correct the misnomer. He says that aventurine allows the wearer to see the full adventure in life´s journey, as opposed to the focus on a single destination, brought about by other adventure gemstones. He says that he has experience with the gemstone being one that heals, and that it brings an abundance of creativity and love. It makes you face what is relevant, making it easier to make certain decisions.
The gemstone is said to be perfect for Librans, since many people say that people falling under this Zodiac sign are poor decision makers; something that is quite a misnomer too. This misnomer is due to the fact that Librans take longer to weigh their decisions, and avoid making serious mistakes. He believes that aventurine allows people to look at all sides of any issue, and bring about fairness in every judgment. Aventurine allows one to weigh in, but at a faster speed, without losing integrity, allowing the wearer to move through life with grace and confidence. This is also a protective gemstone for travelers, which is a good thing since it seems to tell people to buckle in, and get ready for the adventure of their lives.
The misnomers associated with aventurine
Green aventurine is sometimes mistaken to be Indian Jade.
Red aventurine is sometimes mistaken to be the synthetic glass which is also called Goldstone.
Blue aventurine is mistaken to be some glass types, which have flaky inclusions. Which may be blue in color, and sometimes green.
Despite the misnomers, anyone who has seen the genuine aventurine gemstone will not fall for these other synthetic or similar gemstones.
The main localities of aventurine
This is a gemstone that is mainly mined from India. Other less significant sources are South Africa, Russia, and the United States of America. There are other small deposits found in Europe, most notable, the Black Forest in Germany and in Mariazell in Australia.
In Summary
Aventurine must be handled like all other quartz gemstones, and should not be exposed to hydrofluoric acid. It is less sensitive to heat due to the high amount of inclusions in the gemstone. It is worth knowing that the Miotto Family, who were glass makers in the 17th century are the ones who came up with goldstone, and the Doge of Venice, gave this family the exclusive rights to make this new synthetic gemstone. There are others who believe that an unknown monastic order discovered goldstone by mistake.
