Rhodonite Gemstones

Rhodonite Cabochon

Rhodonite, along with rhodolite garnet and rhodochrosite, takes its name from the Greek word for rose, "rhodon." Unlike these other gemstones, rhodonite gemstone is seldom purely red; it typically displays a rose pink to red color with distinctive black dendritic inclusions of manganese oxide. Browse through our assortment of rhodonite gems for sale.

Rhodonite is a manganese iron magnesium calcium silicate and belongs to the pyroxenoid mineral group. Its manganese content is often partially replaced by iron, magnesium, calcium, and occasionally zinc, sometimes in significant amounts. A greyish-brown variety with up to 20% calcium oxide is known as bustamite, while a zinc-rich variety containing 7% zinc oxide is called fowlerite.

Rhodonite gem is usually opaque and transparent varieties are very rare indeed. It has a hardness of 5.5 to 6.5 on the Mohs scale, and a density of 3.40 to 3.74. Its refractive index is 1.716 to 1.752.

Rhodonite Inlay in the Moscow Metro

Rhodonite from Franklin, New Jersey

Deposits of rhodonite gemstone have been found in Australia (New South Wales), Finland, Japan, Canada, Madagascar, Mexico, Russia, Sweden, South Africa, Tanzania and the United States (notably New Jersey and Nevada).

Rhodonite colors and vitreous luster has made it popular as a decorative material. It is often used as cabochons for necklaces, and for ornamental objects. It has even been used as wall tiles in the Moscow subway. The Mayakovskaya Metro Station has more than 80 square meters of rhodonite inlay in the columns, which were installed during the second phase of construction of the metro in 1935-38.

The Russian deposits of rhodonite in Sverdlovsk are among the most famous in the world. Another well-known occurrence is in Franklin, New Jersey, which once yielded large specimens popular with mineral collectors.

Though rhodonite is found in a number of locations in the United States, it was named the state gem of Massachusetts in 1979, apparently because it is the most beautiful gem material native to the area.