Named for its famed country of origin, Brazilian Pink Fluorite’ s signature, beautifully bright fuchsias are uncommon and highly prized. A scarce gemstone that is enormously limited in its finest grades, Fluorite’s plethora of beautiful colors continues to see it coveted by mineral, gemstone and jewelry connoisseurs around the globe. Rightfully regarded as the world’s most colorful gem variety, Fluorite’s best gemmy examples come to life with optimal lapidary, deserving a place of pride in any serious gemstone collection. Brazilian Pink Fluorite is from a new 2021 discovery in the famous Iron Quadrangle, located in the southeastern Brazilian state of Minas Gerais, a premiere international source for fine gemstones.
Hardness 4
Refractive Index 1.434
Relative Density 3.00 – 3.25
Enhancement None
Beauty
Fluorite’s major value determinants are an attractive glassy luster, good brilliance and desirable, rich bright colors.
Brazilian Pink Fluorite’s vibrant and intense, purplish-pinks uniquely straddle the line between purple and pink, and are understandably highly coveted. Displaying a cocktail of beautifully bright fuchsias, Brazilian Pink Fluorite’s signature hue in combination with an attractive brilliance and luster, define its distinctive beauty. A colorful brilliance should sparkle (scintillate) throughout Brazilian Pink Fluorite, but this is dependent on a high-clarity, medium saturation/tone, as well as faceting quality.
Due to its hardness and perfect octahedral (four-sided) cleavage, Brazilian Pink Fluorite can be challenging to facet. Optimal lapidary with a good shape and overall appearance, as well as an eye-clean clarity, the highest quality clarity grade for colored gemstones as determined by the world’s leading gemological laboratories, is the secret to unlocking Brazilian Pink Fluorite’s beauty.
Incredibly, Fluorite beautifully covers the full color spectrum, from Amethyst purples to crimson reds, Paraíba blues to Emerald greens, and bright oranges to lemon yellows. One of Fluorite’s popular colors is a deep purple that can rival Amethyst. In fact, Fluorite/Amethyst comparisons are often used to demonstrate that color alone is not an effective means of gemological species determination. Fluorite can also display distinctive bicolor and multicolor banding. The ‘Blue John’ variety mined in England has curved bands of blue, purple, yellow and white, and has been used as an ornamental gemstone since Roman times. Color Change Fluorite typically changes from blue to purple in sunlight (candescent light) and candlelight (incandescent light).
Fluorite’s name is derived from the Latin ‘fluere’, meaning to flow, in reference to its low melting point. Highly coveted for its huge array of attractive colors that cross the entire color spectrum, Fluorite is regarded as the ‘World’s Most Colorful Gemstone’. Fluorite, from which we get the word ‘fluorescent’, is the most famous fluorescent gemstone. Many specimens strongly fluoresce in a great range of colors under longwave ultraviolet light, with experts believing the color and intensity of fluorescence varies depending on origin. Between 250 and 100 million years ago, Fluorite was formed from hydrothermal solutions (hot water and melted minerals) that filled underground fissures as pegmatites (intrusive igneous rocks composed of interlocking crystals) were created. Among collectors, Fluorite and Quartz remain the most popular minerals, noting gem-quality specimens will understandably garner higher prices than those favored by mineral collectors.
Rarity
While Fluorite is found in many countries, Brazil, China, India, Madagascar, and Pakistan are the premiere gem-quality sources. Fluorite has been discovered in 15 of Brazil’s 26 states: Amazonas, Bahia, Goiás, Minas Gerais, Pará, Paraíba, Paraná, Pernambuco, Rio de Janeiro, Rio Grande do Norte, Rio Grande do Sulo, Rondônia, Santa Catarina, São Paulo, and Tocantins.
Displaying an exceedingly rare color with an excellent clarity, Brazilian Pink Fluorite is from a new discovery, only very recently unearthed (January/February 2021) in the famous Iron Quadrangle (Quadrilátero Ferrífero), a major iron, gold and gemstone mining district, located in the southeastern Brazilian state of Minas Gerais (General Mines).
One of the few gemstones that is entirely natural and unenhanced, Brazilian Pink Fluorite’s attractive colors command higher prices due to their comparative rarity.
Durability & Care
Brazilian Pink Fluorite (Mohs’ Hardness: 4) should be worn and stored carefully to avoid scuffs and scratches. Clean with gentle soap and lukewarm water, scrubbing behind the gem with a very soft toothbrush as necessary. After cleaning, pat dry with a soft towel or chamois cloth.
Map Location
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