How to identify Purple Cabochon Gemstone

To correctly identify Purple Cabochon Gemstone (Unidentifiable Gemstone), 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

   Various shades of purple, from pale lavender to deep violet. Color distribution can be even, banded, or mottled.

2. 2

   Luster

   How the surface reflects light: metallic, vitreous, dull

   Typically vitreous to resinous, sometimes waxy or dull, depending on the specific mineral.

3. 3

   Texture

   Grain size and surface feel: coarse, fine, glassy

   Smooth and polished due to cabochon cut. Internal texture (e.g., fibrous, granular) would require destructive testing or microscopic analysis.

4. 4

   Crystal Form

   Shape of visible crystals or crystal faces

   Not applicable for a cabochon, as the original crystal form is obscured by cutting. The internal structure would depend on the mineral.

5. 5

   Cleavage

   How it breaks: flat cleavage planes vs irregular fracture

   Not observable on a polished cabochon surface without specific optical or destructive tests. Cleavage planes would be internal.

6. 6

   Geological Environment

   The rock formation and setting where it occurs

   Highly variable, depending on the actual mineral. Could be igneous, metamorphic, or sedimentary in origin.

Key Facts

Hardness

Variable (e.g., Amethyst 7, Sugilite 5.5-6.5, Charoite 5-6, Lepidolite 2.5-4, Fluorite 4)

Specific Gravity

Variable (e.g., Amethyst 2.65, Sugilite 2.74, Charoite 2.54-2.78, Lepidolite 2.8-2.9, Fluorite 3.18)

Crystal System

Variable (e.g., Amethyst - Trigonal, Sugilite - Hexagonal, Charoite - Monoclinic, Lepidolite - Monoclinic, Fluorite - Isometric)

Color

Purple, ranging from pale lavender to deep violet

Luster

Vitreous, resinous, waxy, or dull

Transparency

Translucent to opaque (typical for cabochons)

Fracture

Variable (e.g., conchoidal, uneven, splintery)

Cleavage

Variable (e.g., Amethyst - none, Sugilite - poor, Charoite - perfect, Lepidolite - perfect basal, Fluorite - perfect octahedral)

Composition

Variable, depends on the actual mineral/rock

Physical characteristics

• Crystal Habit: Not applicable for a cabochon; original habit obscured.
• Cleavage Type: Variable, depends on the actual mineral.
• Fracture Type: Variable, depends on the actual mineral.
• Tenacity: Variable, depends on the actual mineral (e.g., brittle, flexible, sectile).
• Luster Type: Vitreous, resinous, waxy, or dull.

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