Description
Collectors say that minerals are the universe’s autobiography, written in atoms. Kunzite — pink spodumene — was first described from Pala, California in 1902 and named after mineralogist George Kunz, Tiffany’s legendary gem buyer. The lilac-pink to rose color comes from trace manganese. Kunzite is strongly pleochroic: rotate it and the color shifts from vivid pink to near-colorless. It is also sensitive to heat and prolonged light exposure — a delicate beauty.
This specimen originates from Pala, California, USA, one of the world’s most significant localities for this type of material. Collectors and scientists have drawn from this region for generations, and for good reason: the combination of geological conditions here produces specimens of exceptional quality and clarity.
Every specimen is unique. Photographs approximate the visual experience, but the real thing — its weight, its luster under a raking light, the way it catches the corner of your eye — can only be experienced directly.
