The facts
What painite actually is
Painite is classified as painite, with the composition CaZrAl₉O₁₅(BO₃). It crystallises in the hexagonal system.
Colour comes from iron and vanadium, which is also what a laboratory looks at when it is asked whether a colour is natural.
Refractive index 1.787–1.816. Specific gravity around 4.01. Cleavage: none. Those three numbers separate it from most of what imitates it.
Where painite comes from
Painite is produced at Mogok and Wet Loo, Myanmar.
That is the whole list. A single source makes supply fragile and makes any claim of a second origin worth questioning.
Is painite treated?
None.
Nothing needs disclosing, and nothing about the stone can change after you buy it. If a price looks impossible, the risk is substitution rather than treatment.
What painite is confused with
In the trade painite is most often mistaken for, or substituted by, Zircon, Sapphirine or Garnet.
The separation is rarely a matter of opinion: refractive index 1.787–1.816 and specific gravity 4.01 settle most of it in a minute, and magnification settles the rest.
What painite is used for
Demand for painite comes from mineral collecting, which is why one price per carat never covers it.
We quote each application in the unit that trade actually buys in, by the specimen.
Durability and care
Painite is 8 on the Mohs scale, with none cleavage.
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 painite costs
As a guide, painite trades around $5,000–60,000/ct.
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 painite treated?
None.
Where does painite come from?
Mogok and Wet Loo, Myanmar. That is the only commercial source.
Is painite hard enough to wear every day?
Yes. At 8 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 painite cost?
Indicatively $5,000–60,000/ct. 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 painite confused with?
Most often Zircon, Sapphirine and Garnet. A refractive index of 1.787–1.816 and a specific gravity near 4.01 separate it quickly.
Related stones
Looking for painite?
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 painite