Wednesday, May 7, 2014

Ruby Zoisite is the featured gemstone

Ruby zoisite is a highly unusual mineral gemstone composed of both zoisite and ruby. it is also known as anyolite. Zoisite is commonly found in green shades and ruby zoisite has, as the name says, opaque red or pink ruby inclusions scattered throughout the piece. it can also have the occasional black inclusion. It has a very distinctive appearance. It has two measurements on the Moh scale-the zoisite is moderately soft, around 5.5, while the ruby measures a 9. This presents special challenges when cutting it into gemstones.

Zoisite is named for mineral collector Sigmund van Zois who was first brought this material by a mineral dealer who had found it in the Saualpe mountains in Carinthia (Austria), in 1805.
 
Zoisite is related to tanzanite, which is the blue or lavender transparent variety of zoisite. Sources for this gemstone include Tanzania, Kenya, Norway, Switzerland, Austria, India, and Pakistan. It can also be found in Washington State in the U.S.. There are no known enhancements, such as heating or irradiating, used for this mineral.

Since ruby zoisite is fairly new to the gemstone world, there is not much folklore associated with it. It is believed to amplify the entire energy field of the body. The ruby part of the stone is valued for many of the attributes that rubies are valued for- healing, courage, love and nobility. The green zoisite is said to help balance and calm the ruby influence. It is also believed that it amplifies spirituality.