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Techniques for CollectorsVasonite - what is it?

20th Jan 2012 14:43 UTCAmanda Hawkins

hello

I've come across Vasonite - beads and carved gem quality pieces plus cabs used in jewellery. I've no idea what type of mineral it is. Does anyone know ?- it's green by the way.

Thanks!

22nd Jan 2012 00:54 UTCRock Currier Expert

It may not be a mineral. Its probably a synthetic, possibly glass. The fact that Google throws up a lot of hit for it, but no one I can find in a quick look even suggests what it is makes me think it is probably a synthetic of some sort.

22nd Jan 2012 04:47 UTCStephanie Martin

It may be a faulty translation/spelling of vesuvianite that is being perpetuated, according to a gemology on-line blog.

http://gemologyonline.com/Forum/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=20&t=14324

There are sellers on ebay listing it as vasonite / vesuvianite,

that being said, not all the material listed as vasonite seems to be consistent,

some listings look like jade, others serpentine, agate or even glass as Rock suggested.

Same problem on Etsy.

caveat emptor

regards,

stephanie :-)

26th Jan 2012 16:06 UTCAmanda Hawkins

Thanks Stephanie & Rock! It has a serpentine look to it.

26th Jan 2012 16:07 UTCAmanda Hawkins

photo attached of a pebble

26th Jan 2012 16:16 UTCWoodrow Thompson

Hi Amanda,

The color and pattern of your specimen closely resemble many serpentines, but I think serpentine is too soft for jewelry use. Can you do a hardness test? Epidote can have that color, and possibly other minerals such as green vesuvianite???? I suspect it isn't "jade" or the trade wouldn't need to make up another name for it.

Woody

27th Jan 2012 13:31 UTCAmanda Hawkins

Hi Woody

I think you are right about being Vesuvianite. It is quite hard, can't scratch with steel but Quartz does. The bead and polished stone industry must be suffering if they have to re-name a good product in order to make it look like a NEW product. :-X

Thanks :-)

27th Jan 2012 14:01 UTCStephanie Martin

Amanda - the piece does look rather like serpentine to me too, but difficult to tell just from the photo as it does resemble other minerals as Woody said.

The name Vasonite was not an intentional new name, rather an error that is being repeated when the name vesuvianite was translated.

A lot of bead sellers would not know the difference, so they are just using the name they are told when it was sold to them and unknowingly repeating the error.

But as noted above, there is a number of other materials that are being sold as vasonite largely because of similar repeating errors, the material being misidentified when sold to them and they are just passing the name on that way.

regards,

stephanie :-)

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