The facts
What warthog Ivory actually is
Warthog Ivory is classified as suid tooth (Phacochoerus africanus), with the composition Dentine: hydroxyapatite with collagen. It crystallises in the amorphous organic system.
Colour comes from creamy white with a distinct amber-brown outer layer; the tusks are small and strongly curved, which is also what a laboratory looks at when it is asked whether a colour is natural.
Refractive index 1.53–1.54. Specific gravity around 1.80–1.95. Cleavage: none. Those three numbers separate it from most of what imitates it.
Where warthog Ivory comes from
Warthog Ivory is produced at Limpopo, South Africa, Zambezi Valley, Zimbabwe and Tanzania.
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 warthog Ivory is treated
Untreated. Not CITES-listed in the way elephant ivory is, which has made it a legal substitute in the curio and knife-handle trades — but export permits are still required from several range states, and it is sometimes misrepresented as elephant ivory. Small size limits what can be carved.
Treatment changes value, sometimes by a multiple, so it belongs in the description before the price and not after the sale.
What warthog Ivory is confused with
In the trade warthog Ivory is most often mistaken for, or substituted by, Elephant ivory, Hippopotamus ivory, Bone or Vegetable ivory.
The separation is rarely a matter of opinion: refractive index 1.53–1.54 and specific gravity 1.80–1.95 settle most of it in a minute, and magnification settles the rest.
What warthog Ivory is used for
Demand for warthog Ivory comes from carving and sculpture, decorative objects and 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 block, by the piece or by the specimen.
Durability and care
Warthog Ivory is 2–2.5 on the Mohs scale, with none 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 warthog Ivory costs
As a guide, warthog Ivory trades around Raw tusks 20–150 USD a pair; carved items 50–500 USD.
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 warthog Ivory treated, and how?
Untreated. Not CITES-listed in the way elephant ivory is, which has made it a legal substitute in the curio and knife-handle trades — but export permits are still required from several range states, and it is sometimes misrepresented as elephant ivory. Small size limits what can be carved.
Where does warthog Ivory come from?
Limpopo, South Africa, Zambezi Valley, Zimbabwe and Tanzania. Origin affects price, so we name the locality rather than the country on every quote.
Is warthog Ivory 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 warthog Ivory cost?
Indicatively Raw tusks 20–150 USD a pair; carved items 50–500 USD. 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 warthog Ivory confused with?
Most often Elephant ivory, Hippopotamus ivory, Bone and Vegetable ivory. A refractive index of 1.53–1.54 and a specific gravity near 1.80–1.95 separate it quickly.
What is warthog Ivory used for besides jewellery?
carving and sculpture, decorative objects and mineral collecting. Each of those trades buys it in a different form and a different unit.
Related stones
Looking for warthog ivory?
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 warthog ivory