Serandite Value, Price, and Jewelry Information
To date, only one locality — Mont St. Hilaire, Quebec, Canada — has produced facetable serandite. These extremely rare gems are very small and usually cut from less than transparent crystal fragments.
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What is Serandite?
Serandite (formerly spelled "sérandite") forms a mineral series with pectolite. Serandite is the manganese (Mn) end member, while pectolite is the calcium (Ca) end member. Of the two, serandite is the rarest by far.
Does Serandite Make a Good Jewelry Stone?
You're more likely to find serandites, if at all, in mineral collections than jewelry collections. With a hardness of 4.5 to 5.5 and perfect cleavage, this gem would require protective jewelry settings to reduce the risk of scratches and blows. Reserve this rare gem for occasional wear in rings or for earrings, brooches, or other pieces less subject to impacts.
Identifying Characteristics of Serandite
The refractive indices (RI) of the pectolite-serandite series vary with the presence of Ca and Mn.
Schizolite (formerly "marshallsussmanite") is an intermediate member of this series.
Are There Synthetic Serandites?
Scientists have synthesized serandites for research purposes. However, there's no known jewelry use for this material.
There are no known gemstone treatments or enhancements for serandites.
Where are Serandites Found?
Although serandite occurs in numerous locales across the globe, it remains a rare mineral. Only Mont St. Hilaire in Quebec, Canada has produced cuttable material, but even large crystals found here seldom have transparent, facetable areas.
Rouma Isle, Los Islands, Guinea is the type locality for this mineral.
Other sources include the following locations:
- United States: Arkansas; California; New Mexico.
- Japan; Russia; South Africa.
Stone Sizes
Cut serandites very rarely weigh more than 2-3 carats. In fact, faceted gems of any size are very rare.
- Smithsonian Institution (Washington, DC): 2+ (Quebec).
- Private Collection: 5+ (flawed).
- National Museums of Canada (Ottawa, Ontario): 18.65, 2.8 (translucent).
Caring for Serandites
Clean serandites only with a soft brush, mild detergent, and warm water. Consult our gemstone jewelry cleaning guide for more care recommendations.
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