Zultanite: The Chatoyant, Flamboyant Color Changer
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Zultanite is one of the rarest gemstones in the world. Rich in dazzling beauty, zultanite also possesses characteristics that are not seen in many gemstones. Still not known to many gem collectors and jewelry enthusiasts, zultanite is destined to be a stone that will have many a person clamoring to attain it.
Zultanite is a transparent stone that has chatoyancy (a cat’s eye effect)—the gemstone surface has a bright band of light, which isn’t seen often in gemstones. The main characteristic of zultanite, though, is its color changing ability under different light conditions. Outdoors and in sunshine, or under fluorescent lights, zultanite has a kiwi green color, with flashes of yellow. Zultanite reveals a champagne color under regular indoor lights, and when exposed to subdued lighting, such as that provided by candles, it has a pink or raspberry color. The larger the zultanite gemstone, the more dazzling the color change effect will be. Zultanite is usually between 3 to 5 carats. Any zultanite stone over 5 carats is extremely rare.
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In 1801, diaspore was discovered in Russia’s Ural Mountains. Diaspore, also known as empholite, tanatarite, and kayserite, has been used in jewelry settings, but the quality is nothing like that of the zultanite that is emerging today. The gemstone cutting techniques used in earlier times pale in comparison to those that are being used on today’s zultanite. Zultanite’s mineral name is diaspore, but since Zultanite Gems LLC obtained the rights to the deposit of zultanite, they have had the best gemstone cutters in the world working with the zultanite stones. Zultanite is a very difficult gemstone to cut. 90% of its crystal is lost during the cutting process.
Zultanite, at 6.5 to 7.0 on the Mohs scale of hardness, is an excellent stone for jewelry. It is found in many cuts, such as cushion, shield, marquis, pear, round, and oval.
Zultanite was first discovered in the early 1980s. The world’s only supply of zultanite is found in the area of Anatolia, Turkey, approximately seven miles from the nearest village, which is Selimiye. Zultanite is a natural gemstone, meaning it doesn’t require treatments or enhancements. It was named after the 36 late 13th century sultans who ruled Anatolia’s Ottoman Empire. Since it comes from only one location, similar to the story of the tanzanite gemstone, zultanite is extremely rare, even rarer than alexandrite.
The zultanite gemstone is still mined by hand. Pick-axes and chisels are used to dislodge these breathtaking beauties. At the time of this document’s inception, a pricing structure for zultanite was still being developed. While some sources claim zultanite is cheaper than chameleon diamonds and alexandrite, current U.S. prices range from $100 per carat to $1,000 per carat. A zultanite stone over 10 carats (incredibly rare) is $5,000 per carat.
The soft, fluctuating colors of the zultanite gemstone present themselves well with a wardrobe containing green, brown, or gold. Zultanite’s splendor is sensational.
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