Orange Sodalite

Orange Sodalite is a variety of the traditional Blue Sodalite--And, yes, the striking orange coloration is natural! Although Sodalite is found all over the world, the Orange Sodalite Miriam uses for her jewelry is from Brazil. Sodalite was discovered in 1806 in Greenland. This lovely stone became more popular as an ornamental stone in 1891, when large deposits of Blue Sodalite were found in Ontario, Canada. On a visit to Ontario, Princess Patricia chose Sodalite as the interior decoration for Marlborough House in England - and 130 tons of stone were quarried and shipped to England. Sodalite can be grey, yellow, orange, or pink. However, for gemstone use, Sodalite is typically varied shades of blue, and most often recognized by its White Calcite veins. Hackmanite, found in Afghanistan, is a rare and very expensive form of Sodalite. It is a gray to violet translucent crystal, whose color varies with the sunlight. This unusual phenomenon is called tenebrescence—when a mineral changes color when exposed to sunlight - just like eyeglasses that darken in sunlight and lighten indoors.