Kunzite is a pink to lilac gem variety of the mineral spodumene. It was first identified in 1902 from material found in the Pala district of San Diego County, California, and named the following year after George Frederick Kunz, the mineralogist and gemologist who described it and who is best remembered today for his long association with Tiffany & Co.
The pink to lilac colour comes from trace amounts of manganese in the crystal structure. Kunzite is also strongly pleochroic, meaning it can show different colour intensities when viewed from different angles, a property cutters take into account when orienting a rough crystal for faceting. Like many pink gems, it is sensitive to prolonged strong sunlight, which can gradually fade the colour over years, so it is best kept out of direct sun when not being worn.
California's Pala district remains historically important, but most kunzite on the market today comes from Afghanistan, alongside further sources in Brazil and Madagascar. Fine, richly coloured crystals of good size are found in pegmatite deposits in all of these localities.
Kunzite has a Mohs hardness of 6.5 to 7, respectable for everyday wear, but it also has perfect cleavage in two directions, meaning a sharp knock in the wrong spot can split a stone. Protective settings and a bit of care handle this well, and collectors and jewellers have worked successfully with kunzite for over a century.
See our Kunzite collection for examples of this soft pink-lilac gem.