Table of Contents
As Jewelry Shopping Guide editors, we write about things that we love and we think you’ll like too. We often have affiliate partnerships, and may generate some revenue from these links at no cost to you.
Although thulite is an affordable gemstone and looks beautiful when well-crafted into jewelry, not many people know about it. Thulite’s soft pink color is intriguing and makes it quite unique from other gemstones. Here’s a quick look at what thulite is and how to add thulite into your jewelry collection.
What Is Thulite?
Thulite is a variety of zoisite with a bright pink to reddish color. This unique coloration of thulite is due to the manganese inclusions in its composition. Thulite is most commonly found alongside quartz or mottled with streaks and spots of white quartz.
Thulite’s sister mineral clinothulite is the pink variation of clinozoisite. The difference between zoisite and clinozoisite is in their crystal structure and that’s the difference between thulite and clinothulite as well. It’s a very minor difference that’s often not noticeable at all so in this article our focus will be on thulite, but all the information is relevant to clinothulite as well.
Thulite comes from Norway, and gets its name from the mythical region of Thule. It is the national gemstone of Norway. There it can be found in Tvedestrand and in Leksvik, as well as in Sorlandet, Aust-Auger. The only other place in the world Thulite is mined is North Carolina in the U.S. Another common name for thulite is rosaline.
Another mineral thulite can sometimes be mistaken with is rhodonite as both have a similar pink color and consistency. What differentiates rhodonite from thulite is the black streaks and the banding that are often present in rhodonite. Thulite is also harder than rhodonite.
How To Evaluate Thulite Quality
As a zoisite mineral with a lot of inclusions, thulite is opaque in its transparency which is why it’s rarely used in high-end jewelry.
It can sometimes be partly translucent but only in its very thin and backlit sections so looking for fully translucent or transparent thulite stones is futile.
What drives the value of thulite is its rich pink or reddish color and its vitreous luster. When cut and polished well, thulite cabochons and beads can be very beautiful. The best thulite has a rich and deep color and has no noticeable inclusions. Thulite isn’t typically treated or enhanced in any artificial way so what you see is what you get with it.
Thulite Jewelry
As an inexpensive and opaque mineral, thulite is most commonly used for beads and cabochons that get utilized for various artisan jewelry pieces. Thanks to thulite’s low price these jewelry pieces are usually very affordable.
The most common metal of choice for thulite jewelry tends to be silver as its neutral color accents the thulite’s pretty pink to red color without overshadowing it. However, pairing thulite with rose or yellow gold gives a very charming look to the piece of jewelry.
As far as other uses for thulite are concerned, the mineral is very often used for various statuettes, miniature figurines and other ornamentation items. It’s soft and easy to cut which is why a lot of cutters, including amateurs and hobbyists, love to use it for their passion projects.
Thulite Value And Rarity
Despite being mined from just a couple of locations around the world, thulite isn’t a rare gemstone as it’s mined in rather large quantities. Because of this, thulite’s isn’t typically valuable. You can find large pieces of both thulite rough and cut & polished stones for very low single digit or double digit prices.
The true value of thulite is subjective and it’s in the eye of the beholder, so to speak. When cut and polished well, it has a soft and mesmerizing beauty which is what makes it a favorite to so many people.
How To Care For Thulite
Thulite is a very soft mineral – softer than even other zoisite stones. At just 6 to 6.5 points on the Mohs scale, thulite is very vulnerable to knocks and scratches so it needs to be protected very well both while wearing it and when storing it.
To avoid damage to the stone, take off thulite jewelry whenever you’re about to engage in sports or other physical activities. Also, when buying thulite jewelry, ensure that the stone is set in a protective setting like a bezel or halo as this will give it an extra buffer of protection.
When storing your thulite jewelry or ornament pieces, it’s also important to keep them away from harder objects. Jewelry gemstones and metals that have a hardness above 6 on the Mohs scale can easily scratch a thulite piece. If you have to keep your thulite pieces together with other jewelry items then wrap them in a piece of cloth for extra protection.
To clean your thulite properly and safely use only warm soapy water with mild detergents and a soft piece of cloth. Avoid all stronger detergents and hard brushes as they can damage the stone.
Thulite Meaning And Symbolism
A lot of people argue over the true meaning of thulite so its spiritual meaning will be different depending on who you ask. From what we’ve gathered, thulite is believed to have energies that connect to the person’s third eye and heart chakras. In other words – it gives you a heart-centered awareness and opens your life for a more loving outlook on things.
Thulite is also believed to work very well in conjunction with flourite which is a light-blue transparent or translucent crystal. Together, the two are supposed to help you see a higher perspective of your own emotional experiences.
In short, thulite is said to bring joy and happy vibes to your life and to also inspire you to be more sympathetic to both yourself and to others in your day to day life.
*Disclaimer: Jewelry Shopping Guide does not guarantee or validate any of the claims related to the metaphysical and alternative healing powers of this or any other gemstone. This information should in no way be used as a substitute for medical advice.
Where to Find Thulite Jewelry
If you’d like to add thulite to your gemstone collection, taking your search online will give you a range of options and prices to choose from.
We recommend starting your search on Amazon or Etsy as these two platforms bring together the products of a host of creative designers and retailers onto one place for easy comparison.
Ready to browse? Check out Etsy’s amazing range of thulite jewelry here.
