The facts
What nebula Stone actually is
The species behind nebula Stone is an unusual alkaline igneous rock of quartz, aegirine, riebeckite and anorthoclase with green orbs in a black ground; a registered trade name from a single deposit, Quartz SiO2, aegirine NaFeSi2O6, riebeckite, anorthoclase and zircon; it forms in the aggregate system.
Green orbs of quartz-rich material set in a black aegirine-riebeckite ground is responsible for the colour — and the chromophore, not the name, is what decides whether a colour is stable.
On the instruments it reads a refractive index of 1.54 approx. (spot) and a specific gravity of about 2.65-2.85, with none cleavage.
Where nebula Stone comes from
Commercial material comes from A single privately held deposit in Chiapas, Mexico.
One source only — which is unusual, and which means an origin claim naming anywhere else is either a mistake or a different material.
How nebula Stone is treated
Untreated. Trade-marked and controlled by the discoverers, with a single source, so supply is limited and consistent. Widely imitated by unrelated green orbicular rocks sold as 'nebula stone'. The petrology has been published, which is more than can be said for most trade-named rocks. Not CITES.
We state the treatment on every stone, including when the honest answer is that it cannot be determined. A treatment disclosed is a fact; a treatment discovered later is a refund.
What nebula Stone is confused with
Watch for Kambaba stone, Ocean jasper and Green orbicular rhyolites sold under the name — these are what turn up sold under this name.
The separation is rarely a matter of opinion: refractive index 1.54 approx. (spot) and specific gravity 2.65-2.85 settle most of it in a minute, and magnification settles the rest.
What nebula Stone is used for
The trades that buy nebula Stone are jewellery, mineral collecting, decorative objects and carving and sculpture. They do not want the same thing, and they do not pay in the same unit.
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 6-7; cleavage none. That combination decides what it can safely be set into.
With no cleavage plane to worry about, the practical limit is abrasion rather than breakage, and it takes daily wear well.
Warm water, mild soap and a soft brush. Avoid ultrasonic cleaners on anything fracture-filled, stabilised, dyed or visibly included.
What nebula Stone costs
Expect roughly $30-150 per kilogram rough; cabochons $25-200, depending on quality.
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 nebula Stone treated, and how?
Untreated. Trade-marked and controlled by the discoverers, with a single source, so supply is limited and consistent. Widely imitated by unrelated green orbicular rocks sold as 'nebula stone'. The petrology has been published, which is more than can be said for most trade-named rocks. Not CITES.
Where does nebula Stone come from?
A single privately held deposit in Chiapas, Mexico. That is the only commercial source.
Is nebula Stone hard enough to wear every day?
Yes. At 6-7 on the Mohs scale with no cleavage plane, it handles daily wear well. The practical limit is gradual abrasion rather than chipping.
How much does nebula Stone cost?
Indicatively $30-150 per kilogram rough; cabochons $25-200. 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 nebula Stone confused with?
Most often Kambaba stone, Ocean jasper and Green orbicular rhyolites sold under the name. A refractive index of 1.54 approx. (spot) and a specific gravity near 2.65-2.85 separate it quickly.
What is nebula Stone used for besides jewellery?
mineral collecting, decorative objects and carving and sculpture. Each of those trades buys it in a different form and a different unit.
Related stones
Looking for nebula 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 nebula stone