Obsidian 金曜石 / 黑胆石

Deposit sites: Europe, U.S.A., Japan, Australia and worldwide.

Variety/Species: Natural Glass/Obsidianite

Hardness: 5 – 5.5

Zodiacal sign: Scorpio.

Color scheme: Brown to brownish yellow, gray to black, orange, or red, rarely green, blue, purple

Gemstone of the month:

Historically, obsidian was used as a tool because of its sharp edges, and as decorative jewelry because of its high luster. In ancient Mexico, obsidian was used to make arrow and spear heads, knives, and other weapons and tools.

 

Namde after a Roman (Obsius, the discoverer or the stone), the stone’s color varies according to the foreign inclusions found in its composition. Obsidian is a volcanic glass similar in composition to ordinary glass and differing only in transparency and color. Although obsidian occurs in a variety 0 colors, including grey, brown, gold, silver, green, yellow, red, and sometimes blue. Black obsidian is most common and most sought after.

A particularly popular variety of obsidian, snowflake or flowering obsidian, is from Utah and contains gray to white inclusions which appear to be spattered snowflakes against a black background.