Celestite Value, Price, and Jewelry Information
Soft, fragile, and hard to cut, celestite or celestine is seldom seen in gem collections. These gems are usually colorless or pale blue, but rare orange, green, yellow, and red shades have also been found.
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Soft, fragile, and hard to cut, celestite or celestine is seldom seen in gem collections. Large, clean faceted celestites are very rare. These gems are usually colorless or pale blue, but rare orange, green, yellow, and red shades have also been found.
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Comments
The minerals barite and celestite form a series. Baryte lies at the barium (Ba) end; celestite at the strontium (Sr) end. This mineral is a major source of strontium.
While transparent crystals aren't rare per se, facetable gem-quality material is quite rare. Faceted gems show little dispersion.
Identifying Characteristics
Gems from Madagascar have refractive indices as follows: a = 1.619; γ = 1.631.
Synthetics
None known.
Enhancements
Blue gems may fade because of heat or light, but irradiation may restore the color.
Sources
Canada produces rare orange crystals. Tsumeb, Namibia also yields gem-quality material.
- United States: California; Colorado; Strontian Islands, Lake Erie, Michigan (gemmy material); Chittenango Falls, New York; Clay Center, Put-in-Bay, Ohio; Lampasas, Texas (gemmy blue material).
- Austria; Egypt; Bristol, England; France; Germany; Italy; Madagascar; San Luis Potosi, Mexico; Russia; Girgenti, Sicily; Switzerland; Tunisia.
Stone Sizes
Celestite gems, usually colorless or pale blue, typically weigh under three carats and often receive step cuts. However, some gems are known in the 30-carat range. Large, transparent crystals may be found and cut.
Put-in-Bay, Ohio boasts the Crystal Cave, "the world's largest geode." Converted into a cave, the 35′ wide geode contains celestite crystals up to 18" across.
- Devonian Group (Calgary, Alberta, Canada): 20.1 cts (blue, Madagascar).
- National Museums of Canada (Ottawa, Ontario): 3.11 cts (orange step cut, Ontario, Canada).
- Private collection: 2.98 cts (blue, New York)
Care
Due to its softness, perfect cleavage, and light sensitivity, this gem makes a better collector's item than a jewelry piece. Celestites also have great heat sensitivity. Since jeweler's torches can easily exceed 200° C (392° F) and cause the stone's colors to fade, be wary if you take a jewelry piece to be repaired. Consult our gemstone jewelry cleaning guide for more recommendations.
Joel E. Arem, Ph.D., FGA
Dr. Joel E. Arem has more than 60 years of experience in the world of gems and minerals. After obtaining his Ph.D. in Mineralogy from Harvard University, he has published numerous books that are still among the most widely used references and guidebooks on crystals, gems and minerals in the world.
Co-founder and President of numerous organizations, Dr. Arem has enjoyed a lifelong career in mineralogy and gemology. He has been a Smithsonian scientist and Curator, a consultant to many well-known companies and institutions, and a prolific author and speaker. Although his main activities have been as a gem cutter and dealer, his focus has always been education.
International Gem Society
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