How to know your Kyanite is real?
The anisotropism of kyanite distinguishes it from other minerals. A single piece of kyanite jewelry will show blotching or streaking of color and variable hardness. As a result, kyanite stands out from other gems and this is the best way to tell if kyanite is real.
Kyanite is a blue stone and got its name from the word Kyanos. It means the blue color in the Greek language. You can find it in pink, yellow, white, and green colors.
Some types also have patches on the crystal surface. We will give you a detailed guide to help you learn how to tell if Kyanite is real or fake.
Kyanite is a rare gemstone as you have to pay a high price to get a decent quality Kyanite crystal. You can save time and money if you know the techniques to identify the Kyanite stones.
What Are the Key Indicators to Determine the Authenticity of Gemstones?
When detecting real rhodonite gemstones, there are key indicators to consider. Look for natural imperfections like inclusions or color variations, as synthetic stones are often flawless.
Real rhodonite gemstones also have a specific gravity and refractive index. A reputable gemologist can provide professional guidance in identifying authentic gemstones.
How to Tell if Kyanite is Real or Fake?
You can use the physical features to tell if Kyanite is real or fake.
Few chemical compositions can help you distinguish Kyanite from counterfeit stones.
Cleavage observation is the best way to start the identification process.
You can learn about pleochroism and color zone to get better information regarding the crystal’s identity.
A hardness test is one of the best ways to distinguish Kyantite from glass and plastic materials.
It is one of the stones that confirm the identity with the origin information.
You can go to the seller and check the crystal structure.
It is the best way to find the crystal identity as watching pictures on the internet can mislead you.
1. Check the Cleavage of Kyanite
When the crystal tends to break into a specific plane in a crystal, we call it cleavage.
Every crystal does not have a similar type of cleavage in the crystal structure.
You can find the cleavage by observing the crystal closely.
You can also use a magnifying glass to observe the cleavage closely to find information about the crystal’s identity.
It is easy to identify the cleavage in the uncut and unpolished Kyanite stone surface.
You should see perfectly unidirectional cleavages parallel to each other.
These cleavages appear like perfectly straight lines on the 3D plane.
Kyanite may look like a colored wood piece due to these cleavages.
Synthetic materials cannot imitate these cleavages.
It is one of the best ways to distinguish Kyanite from synthetic crystals.
- Kyanite has strong atomic bonds as it will not break when you use force from parallel to the cleavage lines. You may have to use more force to break it along the cleavage lines as it has high material strength.
- Some sellers stack colored glass and fix it using glue. It will give a similar appearance as the Kyanite. Glass breaks easily and breaks into small sharp pieces. The case is different from the Kyanite as it does shatter into pieces.
- You can test Kyanite authenticity by hitting the crystal with a hammer. Only a piece will chip off if it is authentic Kyanite. Glass will shatter into pieces with the hammer blow.
2. Look for the Pleochroism of Kyanite
Pleochroism is the ability of the crystal to show more than one color when you view it from different angles.
The word pleochroism means more colors.
Gemologists use this feature to identify different types of crystals.
You can check the grading of the Kyanite with the level of pleochroism.
High-quality Kyanite crystals can show the chatoyancy effect.
You can see it frequently in the Kyanite crystals with a cabochon shape.
The dome-like top of the crystal will focus the light on one place in the crystal.
It will give an appearance similar to the cat’s eyes.
If a Kyanite crystal does not have chatoyancy, you should not consider it a fake one.
Some authentic Kyanite crystals do not show this effect.
What is the difference between pleochroism and Colour Zoning?
Color zoning and pleochroism are not the same.
Color zoning occurs due to metal impurities in the crystal structure.
These impurities give color to specific parts of the crystals.
You will not see a different color when you change the angle of view.
Kyanite crystals have pleochroism.
You will see a different color when you view the crystal from another angle.
The color of the crystals will appear different to people viewing it from different angles.
It is due to the specific arrangement of the crystals.
3. Check for the Luster of Kyanite
You can check the Kyanite luster by placing the crystal on your palm and using sunlight to illuminate it.
Kyanite images do not give the true picture of these crystals.
Most of the images of Kyanite show a wood-like structure with dull and waxy color.
You will observe a high luster surface when you keep the Kyanite in the sunlight.
Polishing these crystals can increase the glass-like shine of the Kyanite.
You will not see the shine from the deeper layers in the counterfeit crystals as these are joined with glue.
Glues do not reflect more light and suppress the material’s luster.
4. Perform the Scratch Test
It is one of the stones that give a different hardness value when you take the hardness readings from different angles.
It can give a hardness score of 4 on the Moh hardness scale when you take the hardness value along the cleavage.
You will get a higher value when you take the reading from a perpendicular direction to the cleavage.
- Kyanite has a hardness similar to Quartz. You cannot scratch the Quartz with glass or knife. You will see the same effect when you try to scratch it in a perpendicular direction to the cleavages.
- You can use a coin to scratch the Kyanite crystal if you are using force parallel to the cleavage lines.
5. Check for Kyanite鈥檚 Luminescence
You can identify the Kyanite crystals with their luminescence.
You can keep them in light for some time.
It should give a dim light when you keep it in the dark after the light exposure.
Electrons can absorb the energy from the light source and release it in the darkness.
If you place the Kyanite in the UV light, it also shows fluorescence.
Kyanite will absorb the UV light and emit red light from the crystal.
It is a unique feature of the Kyanite that you will not find in other crystals.
6. Check the Place of Kyanite Origin
Kyanite does not occur in many places worldwide.
You can find high-quality Kyanite crystals inside the granite or some other stones.
They are available in the form of Kyanite deposits.
You can ask about the origin’s information from the seller.
It is suitable to buy the Kyanite crystals from the seller who gives you accurate source details.
- You can find many blue and green Kyanite crystals with lengths of two inches in North Carolina and Yancy County.
- Colorless and green varieties of Kyanite crystals come from Kenya.
- Massive Kyanite crystals of blue and green color come from Brazil.
7. Check the Kyanite Size
It is hard to find Kyanite crystals in perfectly round bead form.
You will find it in the oval shape in the market as it is hard to cut the stone from one angle.
It has layers like a wooden log.
These layers do not allow perfect round bead formation.
Most of the spherical kyanite beads are fake.
You may not find spotless Kyanite stones above five carats.
Some of them below five-carat weight can have spot-free surfaces.
Faceted crystals have a lower weight as you cannot find Kyanite crystals with high clarity when the weight is more than two carats.
To Summarize: How to Tell if Kyanite is Real or Fake
Kyanite has many physical features that distinguish it from glass and plastic materials.
You can also identify Kyanites among different stones of the same color.
These points will help you in the identification.
- Perfectly aligned cleavages are part of the Kyanite crystals.
- Kyanite crystals change color when you view them from different angles.
- Kyanite has different hardness scores when you measure the hardness from different angles.
- Luminescence is a crucial parameter of the Kyanite crystals.
- Origin information and stone size can help you in the identification process.