The facts
What eilat Stone actually is
Eilat Stone is classified as intergrowth of chrysocolla, malachite, turquoise and other copper secondaries, with the composition Mixture of hydrated copper silicates, carbonates and phosphates. It crystallises in the cryptocrystalline aggregate system.
Colour comes from cu²⁺ throughout, giving the blue of chrysocolla and turquoise alongside the green of malachite, which is also what a laboratory looks at when it is asked whether a colour is natural.
Refractive index 1.50–1.65 (spot, variable). Specific gravity around 2.8–3.2. Cleavage: none in massive material. Those three numbers separate it from most of what imitates it.
Where eilat Stone comes from
Eilat Stone is produced at Timna Valley, Southern District, Israel.
One source only — which is unusual, and which means an origin claim naming anywhere else is either a mistake or a different material.
How eilat Stone is treated
The Timna mines are closed, so almost everything currently sold as Eilat stone is either old stock or imitation — often chrysocolla from Africa or dyed and reconstituted composites. Genuine material is soft and usually stabilised.
Treatment changes value, sometimes by a multiple, so it belongs in the description before the price and not after the sale.
What eilat Stone is confused with
In the trade eilat Stone is most often mistaken for, or substituted by, Chrysocolla, Azurmalachite, Turquoise or Reconstituted composites.
The separation is rarely a matter of opinion: refractive index 1.50–1.65 (spot, variable) and specific gravity 2.8–3.2 settle most of it in a minute, and magnification settles the rest.
What eilat Stone is used for
Demand for eilat Stone comes from jewellery, mineral collecting and decorative objects, which is why one price per carat never covers it.
We quote each application in the unit that trade actually buys in, by the carat, by the specimen or by the piece.
Durability and care
Hardness 2.5–5; cleavage none in massive material. That combination decides what it can safely be set into.
Below about 5.5 a stone will be scratched by ordinary household dust, which is largely quartz. That does not make it unusable — it makes it a pendant, an earring or an object rather than a ring worn every day.
Warm water, mild soap and a soft brush. Avoid ultrasonic cleaners on anything fracture-filled, stabilised, dyed or visibly included.
What eilat Stone costs
As a guide, eilat Stone trades around Genuine old-stock cabochons 40–300 USD.
That is a range, not a quote. Colour, size, clarity, cut and origin move the figure a long way inside it, and the only honest price is one given against a specific stone. Send us what you need and we will price it.
Questions
Is eilat Stone treated, and how?
The Timna mines are closed, so almost everything currently sold as Eilat stone is either old stock or imitation — often chrysocolla from Africa or dyed and reconstituted composites. Genuine material is soft and usually stabilised.
Where does eilat Stone come from?
Timna Valley, Southern District, Israel. That is the only commercial source.
Is eilat Stone hard enough to wear every day?
Not really. At 2.5–5 on the Mohs scale it is softer than the quartz dust in ordinary household dirt, so it scratches with wear. It suits pendants, earrings and objects better than a daily ring.
How much does eilat Stone cost?
Indicatively Genuine old-stock cabochons 40–300 USD. Colour, size, clarity and origin move the price a long way within that, so treat it as a range and ask for a quote against a specific stone.
What is eilat Stone confused with?
Most often Chrysocolla, Azurmalachite, Turquoise and Reconstituted composites. A refractive index of 1.50–1.65 (spot, variable) and a specific gravity near 2.8–3.2 separate it quickly.
What is eilat Stone used for besides jewellery?
mineral collecting and decorative objects. Each of those trades buys it in a different form and a different unit.
Related stones
Looking for eilat stone?
Tell us the size, the quality and what it is for. We source it, photograph it and quote it — with the locality named.
Ask about eilat stone