Definitions for "Sugilite"
Keywords:  turquoise, purple, waxy, luster, africa
Is a semi precious gemstone that can range in color from medium to dark purple to pink or brown to black. It is usually opaque with a waxy luster and often has brown, pink and white inclusions. Think of it as purple Turquoise
Sugilite is a medium to dark purple semi-precious gemstone (it can also range from pink to brown to black). It is usually opaque with a waxy luster (but can be translucent) and often has brown, pink and white inclusions, looking like a purple version of turquoise. This stone was named for Ken-ichi Sugi, the Japanese geologist who discovered it in 1944. It is found in Iwagi Island, Shikoku, Japan and Mont Saint-Hilaire, Quebec, Canada, but the largest deposits are in northern South Africa.
A recently discovered mineral, sugilite was named for a Professor Sugi who discovered it in Japan in the early 1970s. A few years later another limited deposit was found in the Northern Cape Province of South Africa and no other deposits have yet been discovered. Although sugilite is one of the most popular of the "new age" stones, the best material is very rare and even the lower qualities are limited. The colour ranges from deep purple to light violet, frequently with black flecks.