Everyone needs a lustrous purple stone of beauty in their jewelry box! And that special stone is called Charoite. Its distinct beauty comes from the light to medium dark swirling patterns displayed across its surface, punctuated by a lovely silky chatoyance or cat’s eye effect.
It was first discovered in the 1940’s in the Chara River region of Sakha Republic, Russia and burst onto the Western mainstream market in the 1970s as Charoite. This is still the only region in the world where Charoite occurs.
It’s not unusual for this stone to be found in large blocks or slabs, easily allowing artisans to carve bowls, vases, bookends and other large decorative objects.
Maintenance for Charoite is simple, but keep in mind it is heat sensitive, so don’t use mechanical cleaning such as steam or ultrasound. Instead, a gentle cleaning with warm soapy water and a soft brush is all that’s needed to keep your Charoite positively glowing!
