The facts
What tugtupite actually is
Tugtupite is classified as tugtupite (sodalite group), with the composition Na₄AlBeSi₄O₁₂Cl. It crystallises in the tetragonal (pseudocubic) system.
Colour comes from a colour centre involving sulphur; the material is strongly tenebrescent, deepening from pale to cyclamen red under sunlight or UV and fading again in the dark, which is also what a laboratory looks at when it is asked whether a colour is natural.
Refractive index 1.492–1.502. Specific gravity around 2.30–2.36. Cleavage: distinct {101}, fair {110}. Those three numbers separate it from most of what imitates it.
Where tugtupite comes from
Tugtupite is produced at Tugtup agtakôrfia, Ilímaussaq intrusion, South Greenland (type locality and main source), Lovozero massif, Kola Peninsula, Russia and Mont Saint-Hilaire, Quebec, Canada.
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 tugtupite is treated
Untreated; the photochromism is inherent and reversible, and pieces are often 'charged' under UV before display, which is showmanship rather than treatment. Fluoresces and phosphoresces salmon-red to crimson under short-wave UV and orange under long-wave. Soft at Mohs 4 and piezoelectric. Greenlandic supply is limited and export regulated. Note that one widely-used database quotes a hardness of 5.5–6, which the primary mineralogical sources do not support.
Treatment changes value, sometimes by a multiple, so it belongs in the description before the price and not after the sale.
What tugtupite is confused with
In the trade tugtupite is most often mistaken for, or substituted by, Rhodonite, Thulite, Sugilite, Dyed howlite or Charoite.
The separation is rarely a matter of opinion: refractive index 1.492–1.502 and specific gravity 2.30–2.36 settle most of it in a minute, and magnification settles the rest.
What tugtupite is used for
Demand for tugtupite comes from mineral collecting, jewellery 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 specimen, by the carat or by the piece.
Durability and care
Hardness 4; cleavage distinct {101}, fair {110}. 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 tugtupite costs
As a guide, tugtupite trades around $20–300/ct for strongly tenebrescent material.
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 tugtupite treated, and how?
Untreated; the photochromism is inherent and reversible, and pieces are often 'charged' under UV before display, which is showmanship rather than treatment. Fluoresces and phosphoresces salmon-red to crimson under short-wave UV and orange under long-wave. Soft at Mohs 4 and piezoelectric. Greenlandic supply is limited and export regulated. Note that one widely-used database quotes a hardness of 5.5–6, which the primary mineralogical sources do not support.
Where does tugtupite come from?
Tugtup agtakôrfia, Ilímaussaq intrusion, South Greenland (type locality and main source), Lovozero massif, Kola Peninsula, Russia and Mont Saint-Hilaire, Quebec, Canada. Origin affects price, so we name the locality rather than the country on every quote.
Is tugtupite hard enough to wear every day?
Not really. At 4 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 tugtupite cost?
Indicatively $20–300/ct for strongly tenebrescent material. 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 tugtupite confused with?
Most often Rhodonite, Thulite, Sugilite, Dyed howlite and Charoite. A refractive index of 1.492–1.502 and a specific gravity near 2.30–2.36 separate it quickly.
What is tugtupite 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 tugtupite?
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 tugtupite