The facts
What simetite actually is
Simetite is classified as fossil resin, with the composition Fossilised terpenoid resin, C, H, O. It crystallises in the amorphous system.
Colour comes from ranges from red and orange through green to blue-violet; the blue and green are surface fluorescence rather than body colour, which is also what a laboratory looks at when it is asked whether a colour is natural.
Refractive index 1.540–1.545. Specific gravity around 1.02–1.09. Cleavage: none; conchoidal fracture. Those three numbers separate it from most of what imitates it.
Where simetite comes from
Simetite is produced at Simeto River, Catania, Sicily, Italy and Gulf of Catania beaches, Sicily.
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 simetite is treated
Untreated. Collected from river and beach gravels rather than mined, so supply is tiny and nineteenth-century collections hold most of the good material. Blue-fluorescing Dominican amber is frequently sold as simetite. Note that Baltic amber, not simetite, is the succinic-acid-rich succinite.
Treatment changes value, sometimes by a multiple, so it belongs in the description before the price and not after the sale.
What simetite is confused with
In the trade simetite is most often mistaken for, or substituted by, Dominican blue amber, Baltic amber, Copal or Burmite.
The separation is rarely a matter of opinion: refractive index 1.540–1.545 and specific gravity 1.02–1.09 settle most of it in a minute, and magnification settles the rest.
What simetite is used for
Demand for simetite 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
Simetite is 2–2.5 on the Mohs scale, with none; conchoidal fracture 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 simetite costs
As a guide, simetite trades around Authenticated pieces 100–2,000 USD depending on size and colour play.
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 simetite treated, and how?
Untreated. Collected from river and beach gravels rather than mined, so supply is tiny and nineteenth-century collections hold most of the good material. Blue-fluorescing Dominican amber is frequently sold as simetite. Note that Baltic amber, not simetite, is the succinic-acid-rich succinite.
Where does simetite come from?
Simeto River, Catania, Sicily, Italy and Gulf of Catania beaches, Sicily. Origin affects price, so we name the locality rather than the country on every quote.
Is simetite hard enough to wear every day?
Not really. At 2–2.5 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 simetite cost?
Indicatively Authenticated pieces 100–2,000 USD depending on size and colour play. 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 simetite confused with?
Most often Dominican blue amber, Baltic amber, Copal and Burmite. A refractive index of 1.540–1.545 and a specific gravity near 1.02–1.09 separate it quickly.
Related stones
Looking for simetite?
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 simetite