How to identify Assorted Gemstone Scarab Bracelet

To correctly identify Assorted Gemstone Scarab Bracelet (Mixed gemstones (Tiger's Eye, Coral, Malachite, Lapis Lazuli, Onyx, Carnelian)), check each of these features in order. Many rocks and minerals look alike, so cross-reference multiple properties before deciding.

Step-by-step identification

1. 1

   Color

   Overall color and any zoning or banding

   Varies greatly depending on the gemstone: Tiger's Eye (golden-brown with chatoyancy), Coral (red, pink, white), Malachite (green, often banded), Lapis Lazuli (intense blue with pyrite flecks), Onyx (black, white, or banded), Carnelian (reddish-orange to brown).

2. 2

   Luster

   How the surface reflects light: metallic, vitreous, dull

   Varies: Tiger's Eye (silky), Coral (dull to waxy), Malachite (silky to vitreous), Lapis Lazuli (dull to greasy), Onyx (waxy to vitreous), Carnelian (waxy to vitreous).

3. 3

   Texture

   Grain size and surface feel: coarse, fine, glassy

   Smooth and polished due to carving and finishing. Individual gemstones may have characteristic internal textures (e.g., fibrous for Tiger's Eye, granular for Lapis Lazuli).

4. 4

   Crystal Form

   Shape of visible crystals or crystal faces

   The gemstones are carved into scarab shapes, so their natural crystal forms are not visible. They are typically massive or cryptocrystalline aggregates.

5. 5

   Cleavage

   How it breaks: flat cleavage planes vs irregular fracture

   Varies by gemstone: Tiger's Eye (none), Coral (none), Malachite (perfect in one direction), Lapis Lazuli (poor to none), Onyx (none), Carnelian (none).

6. 6

   Geological Environment

   The rock formation and setting where it occurs

   Each gemstone originates from distinct geological settings: Tiger's Eye from metamorphic rocks, Coral from marine environments, Malachite from oxidized copper deposits, Lapis Lazuli from contact metamorphic zones, Onyx and Carnelian from silica-rich solutions in sedimentary or volcanic rocks.

Key Facts

Hardness

Varies: Tiger's Eye (6.5-7), Coral (3-4), Malachite (3.5-4), Lapis Lazuli (5-6), Onyx (6.5-7), Carnelian (6.5-7).

Specific Gravity

Varies: Tiger's Eye (2.64-2.71), Coral (2.6-2.7), Malachite (3.6-4.0), Lapis Lazuli (2.7-2.9), Onyx (2.58-2.64), Carnelian (2.58-2.64).

Crystal System

Varies: Tiger's Eye (trigonal, but massive), Coral (amorphous/orthorhombic for aragonite), Malachite (monoclinic), Lapis Lazuli (isometric, but massive), Onyx (trigonal, but cryptocrystalline), Carnelian (trigonal, but cryptocrystalline).

Color

Multicolor (golden-brown, red, green, blue, black, orange).

Luster

Mixed (silky, waxy, dull, greasy, vitreous).

Transparency

Varies: Tiger's Eye (opaque), Coral (opaque), Malachite (opaque), Lapis Lazuli (opaque), Onyx (translucent to opaque), Carnelian (translucent).

Fracture

Varies: Tiger's Eye (splintery), Coral (uneven to conchoidal), Malachite (conchoidal to uneven), Lapis Lazuli (uneven), Onyx (conchoidal), Carnelian (conchoidal).

Cleavage

Varies: Tiger's Eye (none), Coral (none), Malachite (perfect in one direction), Lapis Lazuli (poor to none), Onyx (none), Carnelian (none).

Composition

Varies: Tiger's Eye (SiO2 with fibrous amphibole inclusions), Coral (CaCO3), Malachite (Cu2(CO3)(OH)2), Lapis Lazuli ((Na,Ca)8(AlSiO4)6(S,SO4,Cl)1-2), Onyx (SiO2), Carnelian (SiO2).

Physical characteristics

• Crystal Habit: Massive or cryptocrystalline aggregates for all components, carved into scarab shapes.
• Cleavage Type: Varies: Malachite exhibits perfect cleavage; others generally lack distinct cleavage.
• Fracture Type: Varies: Conchoidal for chalcedony varieties (Onyx, Carnelian), uneven to conchoidal for Coral and Malachite, splintery for Tiger's Eye, uneven for Lapis Lazuli.
• Tenacity: Varies: Brittle for most, but Coral can be somewhat tough.
• Luster Type: Mixed: Silky (Tiger's Eye, Malachite), waxy (Onyx, Carnelian, Coral), dull to greasy (Lapis Lazuli).

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