The facts
What pargasite actually is
Pargasite is classified as pargasite (amphibole group), with the composition NaCa₂(Mg₄Al)Si₆Al₂O₂₂(OH)₂. It crystallises in the monoclinic system.
Colour comes from fe²⁺ for the common green-brown range; the vivid emerald-green Mogok and Lục Yên material owes its colour to Cr³⁺, which is also what a laboratory looks at when it is asked whether a colour is natural.
Refractive index 1.613–1.663. Specific gravity around 3.04–3.26. Cleavage: perfect {110}, distinct {010}. Those three numbers separate it from most of what imitates it.
Where pargasite comes from
Pargasite is produced at Pargas, Finland (type locality), Mogok Stone Tract, Myanmar, Lục Yên, Yên Bái, Vietnam and Kolonne, Sri Lanka.
The locality is part of the description, not a footnote — two stones of the same weight from two of these places are not the same stone.
How pargasite is treated
Untreated. A collector amphibole; the perfect amphibole cleavage in two directions makes it a difficult cut and an unwise ring stone.
Treatment changes value, sometimes by a multiple, so it belongs in the description before the price and not after the sale.
What pargasite is confused with
In the trade pargasite is most often mistaken for, or substituted by, Chrome diopside, Peridot, Green tourmaline or Actinolite.
The separation is rarely a matter of opinion: refractive index 1.613–1.663 and specific gravity 3.04–3.26 settle most of it in a minute, and magnification settles the rest.
What pargasite is used for
Demand for pargasite comes from mineral collecting and jewellery, 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 or by the carat.
Durability and care
Pargasite is 5–6 on the Mohs scale, with perfect {110}, distinct {010} cleavage.
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 pargasite costs
As a guide, pargasite trades around $20–250/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 pargasite treated, and how?
Untreated. A collector amphibole; the perfect amphibole cleavage in two directions makes it a difficult cut and an unwise ring stone.
Where does pargasite come from?
Pargas, Finland (type locality), Mogok Stone Tract, Myanmar, Lục Yên, Yên Bái, Vietnam and Kolonne, Sri Lanka. Origin affects price, so we name the locality rather than the country on every quote.
Is pargasite hard enough to wear every day?
Not really. At 5–6 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 pargasite cost?
Indicatively $20–250/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 pargasite confused with?
Most often Chrome diopside, Peridot, Green tourmaline and Actinolite. A refractive index of 1.613–1.663 and a specific gravity near 3.04–3.26 separate it quickly.
Related stones
Looking for pargasite?
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 pargasite