Gem Profile- Obsidian
Obsidian is one of the oldest materials to be worked by man and it can be found in abundance all over the world. Also known as volcanic glass, obsidian provides a wide variety of lapidary materials in a wonderful array of colors and patterns, often with very interesting visual effects. To begin, let's talk about how basic obsidian is formed.
Earth has four main layers.
The crust is our outer layer.
Beneath it lies the thick, sluggish mantle of hot mineral soup.
The outer core is molten metal.
The inner core is a pressurized, vibrating mass of iron and nickel.
Cracks in the crust let mantle gases build pressure.
This pushes liquid rock and gases upward, often shifting landscapes.
Gases eventually blow the crack open, forming a volcano.
Magma then oozes out as lava.
Rich in silica and oxides of aluminum, iron, magnesium, calcium, sodium, and potassium, it solidifies quickly into volcanic glass called obsidian.
Chemically, obsidian matches rhyolite.
A chunk of rough black obsidian alongside a 6-pound, water-polished piece. Private collection, Dale Armstrong.
The crust is our outer layer.
Beneath it lies the thick, sluggish mantle of hot mineral soup.
The outer core is molten metal.
The inner core is a pressurized, vibrating mass of iron and nickel.
Cracks in the crust let mantle gases build pressure.
This pushes liquid rock and gases upward, often shifting landscapes.
Gases eventually blow the crack open, forming a volcano.
Magma then oozes out as lava.
Rich in silica and oxides of aluminum, iron, magnesium, calcium, sodium, and potassium, it solidifies quickly into volcanic glass called obsidian.
Chemically, obsidian matches rhyolite.
A chunk of rough black obsidian alongside a 6-pound, water-polished piece. Private collection, Dale Armstrong.
From left to right: Velvet Peacock, rare Purple, Snowflake, Golden Sheen and Rainbow obsidian cabochons cut and polished by Charlie Armstrong.
A closer look at the Velvet Peacock obsidian from Oregon.
Cut by Charlie Armstrong.
Cut by Charlie Armstrong.
Obsidian has a Mohs hardness of 5 to 6 and conchoidal fracture.
It shares glass's properties and brittleness.
These traits made it vital to humans for centuries.
Stone Age people crafted sharp tools like hide scrapers, knives, and arrowheads from it.
In Guatemala, obsidian tools, weapons, and ritual items date to 10,000 BCE.
Egyptians traded for obsidian to inset eyes and features in statues, like Tutankhamen's mask.
Aztecs used it for slashing weapons, ceremonial knives, and mirrors.
Spanish conquerors adopted obsidian blades for shaving; Mexico used them until the 1700s.
Modern obsidian scalpels cut cleaner than steel, as discovered in the 1970s.
It shares glass's properties and brittleness.
These traits made it vital to humans for centuries.
Stone Age people crafted sharp tools like hide scrapers, knives, and arrowheads from it.
In Guatemala, obsidian tools, weapons, and ritual items date to 10,000 BCE.
Egyptians traded for obsidian to inset eyes and features in statues, like Tutankhamen's mask.
Aztecs used it for slashing weapons, ceremonial knives, and mirrors.
Spanish conquerors adopted obsidian blades for shaving; Mexico used them until the 1700s.
Modern obsidian scalpels cut cleaner than steel, as discovered in the 1970s.
Obsidian serves as a "gem-rock" for beads, jewelry, and adornments.
Colors range from common black to dark green, deep brown, purples, and deep shades with golden or bronze sheen.
Yellows, blues, and greens appear too.
Sheen, iridescence, or rainbow "iris" comes from tiny aligned gas bubbles during quick cooling.
Different colors result from mineral inclusions.
Magnetite creates black; hematite makes reddish brown to pinks.
Iron oxidation levels cause most transparent to opaque variations, including greens and yellows.
Colors range from common black to dark green, deep brown, purples, and deep shades with golden or bronze sheen.
Yellows, blues, and greens appear too.
Sheen, iridescence, or rainbow "iris" comes from tiny aligned gas bubbles during quick cooling.
Different colors result from mineral inclusions.
Magnetite creates black; hematite makes reddish brown to pinks.
Iron oxidation levels cause most transparent to opaque variations, including greens and yellows.
Red obsidian with black inclusions is called mahogany obsidian.
"Snowflake" obsidian is usually black with white cristobalite inclusions, but it comes in brown too.
Rainbow obsidian, popular with jewelry designers, shows spectral colors when cut to expose layers.
It contains microscopic feldspar or mica crystals in the volcanic glass.
Do not confuse it with "velvet peacock" obsidian, found only in Oregon.
Pictured:
A piece of rainbow obsidian, expertly carved and polished to show all of its color layers. Private collection, Dale Armstrong.
Weighing about 70 pounds, this huge mahogany obsidian specimen resides in Dale's "rock" garden.
"Snowflake" obsidian is usually black with white cristobalite inclusions, but it comes in brown too.
Rainbow obsidian, popular with jewelry designers, shows spectral colors when cut to expose layers.
It contains microscopic feldspar or mica crystals in the volcanic glass.
Do not confuse it with "velvet peacock" obsidian, found only in Oregon.
Pictured:
A piece of rainbow obsidian, expertly carved and polished to show all of its color layers. Private collection, Dale Armstrong.
Weighing about 70 pounds, this huge mahogany obsidian specimen resides in Dale's "rock" garden.
Two small carvings made from "snowflake" obsidian that live in Dale's studio and rough, natural snowflake obsidian waiting to be cabbed. Private collection-Dale Armstrong.
Obsidian is abundant due to Earth's many volcanoes.
Good quality sources include Argentina, Canada, Chile, Ecuador, Greece, Guatemala, Hungary, Iceland, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, and Russia.
In the western U.S., find it in Arizona, California, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, Washington, and Wyoming.
Oregon's Glass Buttes offers the most spectacular variety.
Arizona and New Mexico obsidian nodules are known as "Apache Tears."
Rough Apache Tears from Superior, Arizona. Private collection, Dale Armstrong.
Good quality sources include Argentina, Canada, Chile, Ecuador, Greece, Guatemala, Hungary, Iceland, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, and Russia.
In the western U.S., find it in Arizona, California, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, Washington, and Wyoming.
Oregon's Glass Buttes offers the most spectacular variety.
Arizona and New Mexico obsidian nodules are known as "Apache Tears."
Rough Apache Tears from Superior, Arizona. Private collection, Dale Armstrong.
Obsidian carves into decorative shapes for homes, beads, and cabochons.
Light green and yellow Peruvian material facets well.
Black obsidian often backs opal doublets and triplets.
Imitations include mislabeled smoky quartz or regular colored glass.
Metaphysical benefits: shields against negativity, grounds from spine base to Earth's heart, and delivers blunt inner visions.
Light green and yellow Peruvian material facets well.
Black obsidian often backs opal doublets and triplets.
Imitations include mislabeled smoky quartz or regular colored glass.
Metaphysical benefits: shields against negativity, grounds from spine base to Earth's heart, and delivers blunt inner visions.
Resources
Print Resources:
Collecting Rocks, Gems and Minerals by Patti Polk, ISBN 1-4402-0415-2
Gemstones of the World by Walter Schumann, ISBN 0-8069-3088-8
Love Is in The Earth by Melody, ISBN 0-962-81903-4
Peterson Field Guide - Rocks and Minerals by Frederick H. Pough, ISBN 0-395-91096-X
Internet Resources:
www.cmog.org
www.wikipedia.org
Print Resources:
Collecting Rocks, Gems and Minerals by Patti Polk, ISBN 1-4402-0415-2
Gemstones of the World by Walter Schumann, ISBN 0-8069-3088-8
Love Is in The Earth by Melody, ISBN 0-962-81903-4
Peterson Field Guide - Rocks and Minerals by Frederick H. Pough, ISBN 0-395-91096-X
Internet Resources:
www.cmog.org
www.wikipedia.org
Materials
Wire
13 Piece Mahogany Obsidian Collar Set - Pack of 1
A2-1994R
- Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
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13 Piece Snowflake Obsidian Collar Set - Pack of 1
A2-1995
- Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
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- Price: $3.97
- Gold Club Price: $2.98
Golden Obsidian 10mm Round Beads - 8 Inch Strand
A1-200
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- Price: $9.07
- Gold Club Price: $6.80
Golden Obsidian 10x14mm Oval Cabochon - Pack of 2
E8-16B
- Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
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- Price: $4.67
- Gold Club Price: $3.50
Snowflake Obsidian 10x14mm Oval Cabochon - Pack of 2
E8-31B
- Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
- Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
- Price: $5.33
- Gold Club Price: $4.00
Snowflake Obsidian 12mm Square Beads - 8 Inch Strand
A1-447
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- Price: $8.47
- Gold Club Price: $6.35
Obsidian Beads
Obsidian cabochons
Tools
WireJewelry - Ultimate Wire-Pliers Jewelry Pliers with Case, Set of 5
G15-20
- G15-20
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- Price: $170.72
- Gold Club Price: $128.04
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- Category: General Education
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Dale Armstrong
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