Hardness: 7.50
Refractive Index: 1.63-1.64
Specific Gravity: 3.00
Birthstone: April
Astral Stone:
Anniversary Stone:
Origination: Burma, Japan, Mexico & Madagascar
Care & Cleaning: Soft polishing cloth, plain water rinse, mild solution of soap & water or commercial jewelry cleaner.
Fiction, Facts & Folklore:
Danburite gets its name from the place where it was first discovered: believe it or not, in Danbury, Connecticut.
Material from this area today is sporadic and when found is generally considered as less than gem quality.
In its clearest state, danburite can easily be confused with a white sapphire and even the diamond.
Colorless danburite is so brilliant, it is sometimes used in a process known as foiling. In this process, a manufacturer will take a piece of colored foil (or even clear to add more sparkle) and close in the setting to give the stone the look of whatever color the foil happens to be: red for ruby, green for emerald, and so on. There is really nothing wrong with this process, as long as it is disclosed. The setting used in this process is a closed-end type, so it makes it quite difficult for the consumer to tell. However, it is a very uncommon, seldom seen occurrence at retail.
The majority of the danburite found in nature is colorless, although occasionally it may also have a light pink or yellow undertone.