One of the rarest minerals that exist is the Serendibite, which was discovered in the year 1902 in Sri Lanka by Dunil Palitha Gunasekera. Its curious name comes from the ancient Arabic spoken in Sri Lanka, and from the term Serendib, because this was the name given to Ceylon.
The Serendibite, in general, is a cyan colored gemstone. The chemical formula of this gem is extremely complex and rare, being composed of a mixture of calcium, magnesium, aluminum, silicon, boron and oxygen. Currently, and as far as we know, there are only three carved samples, with facets of 0.35 carats, 0.55 carats and 0.56 carats.
The first two samples were obtained for the first time by the specialist D. P. Gunasekera and were purchased shortly after their discovery by Prof. E. J. Gübelin of Switzerland. The smallest piece was sold for about 14,300 dollars for each carat.
This is a very luxurious and exclusive gem, thanks to its great beauty and value. Because it is a very rare mineral, it is one of the most sought after gemstones for exclusive jewelry, as well as for alternative practices such as gem therapy, for laboratory analysis, as an unforgettable gift, or simply for collecting purposes.
The mineral of serendibite is found in metamorphic rocks, which are associated with boron metasomatism, in which carbonate rocks are introduced by granite. In addition to the basic composition of Serendibite gems, traces of diopside, spinel, phlogopite, scapolite, calcite, tremolite, apatite, grandidierite, synhalite, hyalophane, uvita, pargasite, clinozoisite, forsterite, warwickite and graphite have also been found in them.
In general, Serendibite forms small, tabular crystals, which may be bluish-green, from bluish gray to deep blue, sometimes yellow, and even transparent. Likewise, it is a pleocracic mineral, which can take green, yellowish, bluish green and violet blue tones. However, the primary color of this gem is black.
This gem is classified as an extremely rare gemstone, whose value per carat can go up to $ 1,800,000, being the blue variety of excellent quality. Without cleavage, it is rated on the Mohs scale with a hardness of 6.5 to 7. It also has a refractive index of 1,701-1,706, which is very similar to that of zoisite and its density is 3.42-3.52, which is very similar to topaz, however, its twinning and its spectroscopic characteristics are quite distinguishable among them.
Serendibita, a spectacular gem that takes the breath away of whoever has the fortune of having a piece of jewelry containing it, is synonymous with class, elegance and luxury, being a gem that even the most wealthy celebrities crave to have and show off proudly. It is the ideal complement to any outfit, with a touch of unmistakable “glamor”.
ALFA