Malachite - What is malachite

Majestic malachite

Bold, glorious, and sensuous is how we view this gorgeous, rich-green gemstone with marble-like swirls. Each malachite is unique, and you won’t find another with an identical pattern. This soft and versatile gemstone is abundantly available and modestly priced. Presently, the Democratic Republic of Congo in Africa is the most renowned for malachite mining. The gemstone is also mined in Australia and France.

Watch out for fake malachites made of resins and clay when you choose jewelry. Here's a tip: Genuine malachite stones are heavy and the lines and swirls are softer and more blended into the green than in a fake stone.

A spectrum of malachite greens

Striking in its many shades of vibrant green, malachite is found in an array of graduated tones. The colour of copper deposits lends malachite it's unusual green hues and shades. From an intense dark to deep green, or a bright hue of green softening to a light, pale pastel shade, the range of tones within malachite is fascinating.

Malachite patterns
A natural palette of rich, swirling bands and distinctive concentric rings are characteristic of this arresting gemstone. The value of malachite depends on the distinctive patterns and its chatoyancy or the cat’s-eye effect.

Malachite in jewelry
The delightfully rich colour and unique patterns makes malachite a vibrant choice for jewelry designed into pendants, rings, earrings and cuff bracelets. Beautiful jewelry with malachite is most popularly set in gold and silver.

Lesser known facts about malachite

History is replete with tales of royals enamoured with malachite. Victorians loved to have it set in gold and silver metals to wear as jewelry. Russian royalty in the 19th century had ornaments, decorations and dining sets in malachite in their palace. The Malachite Room in Hermitage Museum’s Winter Palace in St. Petersburg displays a stunning collection of items made in malachite.

Malachite is a soft stone, with a hardness between 3.5 to 4 on the Mohs scale. In quality jewelry, malachite is finished with a layer of resin or wax-polished to protect it from scratches, heat and chemical corrosion. Widely revered as an amulet, this gemstone is known for its all-encompassing mental and emotional healing properties, for providing protection, flushing out emotional toxicity, and for material prosperity.

Malachite is the birthstone for April and linked with the Taurus zodiac sign.

You will find arresting malachite jewelry at thejewelleryroom.com. Our collections offer an array of bracelets, necklaces, earrings, ear cuffs, hoops, and rings, all with a contemporary take on conventional malachite jewelry.