The zultanite stone is one of the rarest stones on earth. It is only mined in the Ilbir Mountains of Turkey and is famous for its color-changing effect. Zultanite usually comes in orange, green, yellow, pink, and champagne and these colors change in a different light.
Discovery: rare and new in the market
The zultanite stone was discovered in the very early 1800s in the Russian Ural Mountains. However, currently, the Ilbir Mountains of Turkey remain the only known source left, which makes it one of the rarest stones on earth.
It is a gem variety of the mineral diaspore and is named after the 36th Sultan who ruled the Ottoman Empire of Turkey, by the current mine owner.
Enthusiasts initially mined and independently excavated zultanite with chisels and pickaxes in the 1980s.
It wasn’t until the 1970s that jewelers began to mine it for commercial use. The difficulty of cutting zultanite postponed its entry into the market. Until 2005, zultanite was only used by selected jewelers.
In 2006, zultanite began to be mined specifically as a gemstone. While diaspore may be abundant, zultanite jewelry can only be found in a Bauxite deposit in the Ilbir Mountains of central Turkey. It is exclusively mined by Ottoman Gem.
The mine is located 4,000 feet high in the mountains of Turkey. Only a very small amount of gem-quality zultanite can be mined from tons of ore; moreover, only 50% of the total zultanite mined is suitable for cutting, and 98% of the raw zultanite stones will be lost during processing.
That is to say, the yield of gem-quality zultanite is only 2%. In fact, it is so rare in the market that even veteran cutters have difficulty orienting the crystals to their original colors.
Where is zultanite mined?
Zultanite can only be found in a Bauxite deposit in the Ilbir Mountains of central Turkey. It is exclusively mined by Ottoman Gem. That is why it is also called the Turkish zultanite.
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Zultanite properties
The zultanite stone shines a unique palette of green, yellow, and red. As a Type II transparent gemstone and a refractive index of 1.75, it is clear to the naked eye with a colorful gleam. It takes a 10x magnification to inspect the natural inclusions of the gemstone.
Zultanite holds a 6.5 to 7 on the Moh’s Hardness Scale. It has the perfect makings for use in jewelry.
There are claims among jewelers of the zultanite having perfect cleavage. Perfect cleavage can lead to the gem having a clean break if subjected to accidental force. Therefore, jewelers recommend taking extra care when wearing zultanite pieces just in case.
However, not many gem cutters have had the chance to work zultanite and perfect the art of crafting it. Among those who have worked with zultanite such as Mr. Kotlowski, there were no remarks of problems in the cleavage.
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