On this page
UnderstandWhat it is, what people ask, how far this page goes
Natural inorganic gem materials · Mineral species · Natural identity; treatment status unknown
Charoite
A silicate mineral species, named in Chinese by its common mineralogical name; the species of any given sample still needs to be confirmed by testing. This page compares how the major standards and institutions name it, what must be disclosed when selling it, whether it can be worn every day, how it is treated and identified, and which source each conclusion comes from.
Price, rarity and origin are outside the scope of this wiki.
What this page can answer
This page covers
- How Charoite forms and what gives its colourFormation setting, process and timescale; where its colour and optical effects come from, each finding graded and sourced
- How to identify CharoiteHow far lab testing can go and whether a synthetic exists
- Treatments and enhancements of Charoite2 registered treatments: status, stability, how common they are and identification leads
- Caring for and wearing CharoiteCleaning, heat, chemicals and light, as the cited sources give them
- Hardness, density and refractive index of CharoiteEach value with its source and check date
- Charoite in English, Chinese and Japanese; national standard namesNames in four languages, the GB/T standard name and the suggested listing name; and: Which of GIA, FTC, CIBJO and Gem-A have a name for it on record, and do those agree?
- Listing and disclosing CharoiteThe listing name to use
- Standard clauses that define CharoiteWhich clause defines it, each cross-checked
What we cannot conclude
- Whether one particular bead is natural, treated or synthetic — only a laboratory report can settle that.
- Geographic origin, unless an origin report accompanies the item.
- Price, rarity or investment value: this wiki covers naming and disclosure only.
Material research: formation, causes and history
What authoritative sources say about how this material forms, what causes its colour and optical effects, where its name comes from and how people have used it. Each statement carries an evidence grade and its sources; it describes the material in general, not any specific piece.
How it forms
Charoite is a complex hydrous silicate that is also the name of a rock. Only one deposit is known anywhere: the contact where the Malyi Murun alkaline massif of Eastern Siberia, Russia, meets Early Cretaceous syenite and other alkaline rocks. Its origin remains scientifically unsettled, with two hypotheses side by side: the magmatic hypothesis holds that charoite rocks crystallised from carbonate–silicate melts with gas–salt fluids, while the alkaline-metasomatic hypothesis holds that alkaline metasomatism formed them; this record presents both without choosing between them. 40Ar/39Ar plateau ages of tinaksite, tokkoite, and microcline syngenetic with charoite give a weighted mean of 135.86 ± 0.26 Ma, corresponding to the Early Cretaceous, which is taken as the time of charoite crystallisation.
Scope: Covers an overview of the formation and age of charoite (the mineral and the rock of the same name) based on the existing peer-reviewed literature; its origin is partly unresolved, and two hypotheses are presented side by side without choosing between them.
Sources Journal article (charoite age) · Journal article (charoite genesis)
Where it forms
The contact of the Malyi Murun alkaline massif in Eastern Siberia, Russia, with Early Cretaceous syenite and other alkaline rocks — the only known deposit in the world.
Sources Journal article (charoite age)
Charoite rocks occur as vein- and lens-shaped bodies; their composition does not correlate with that of the host rocks.
Sources Journal article (charoite age)
How it forms, step by step
Emplacement of the Malyi Murun alkaline massif creates the boundary against Early Cretaceous syenite and other alkaline rocks.
Sources Journal article (charoite age)
Hypothesis A (magmatic): carbonate–silicate melts with gas–salt fluids crystallize into charoite rocks, with early rock-forming minerals starting to crystallize at >800°C.
Sources Journal article (charoite genesis)
Hypothesis B (alkaline metasomatic): alkaline metasomatism transforms pre-existing rocks into charoite rocks.
Sources Journal article (charoite genesis)
Tinaksite, tokkoite, and microcline syngenetic with charoite record 40Ar/39Ar plateau ages of about 135.86 Ma.
Sources Journal article (charoite age)
Link to appearance
The two abstracts available for this record do not describe the color or appearance of charoite, so no link between appearance and its genetic hypotheses is asserted.
Sources Journal article (charoitite geochemistry)
Timescale
40Ar/39Ar dating gives a weighted mean plateau age of 135.86 ± 0.26 Ma (Early Cretaceous) for tinaksite, tokkoite, and microcline syngenetic with charoite, taken to be the time of charoite crystallization.
Sources Journal article (charoite age)
Supporting findings
The genesis of charoite is an unresolved scientific controversy; this record presents two hypotheses in parallel without choosing between them: Hypothesis A (magmatic) holds, on mineral-hosted inclusion evidence, that charoite rocks crystallized from carbonate–silicate and carbonate melts with gas–salt fluids and are of magmatic origin; Hypothesis B (alkaline metasomatic) holds that they formed by alkaline metasomatism. Both are found in the peer-reviewed literature and neither has been settled.
Evidence grade AScope: Explicitly flagged as an unresolved scientific controversy; both hypotheses are presented and no choice is made.
Sources Journal article (charoite genesis)
Charoite, which is both a mineral and the rock of the same name, is known from a single deposit worldwide — at the contact, in Eastern Siberia (Russia), between the Malyi Murun alkaline massif and Early Cretaceous syenite together with other alkaline rocks.
Evidence grade AScope: Describes the sole locality and contact setting; not the genesis.
Sources Journal article (charoite age)
The weighted mean plateau age of tinaksite, tokkoite, and microcline syngenetic to charoite is 135.86 ± 0.26 Ma (Early Cretaceous), taken to be the time of charoite crystallization.
Evidence grade AScope: The age is from 40Ar/39Ar plateau ages of syngenetic minerals and represents crystallization time; not a genetic hypothesis.
Sources Journal article (charoite age)
Most Ca-(K)-(Na) silicate minerals in charoitites contain high and variable water, CO2 and F, indicating a hydrous- and volatile-rich environment of crystallization.
Evidence grade AScope: Describes the crystallization environment (hydrous, volatile-rich); does not endorse either genetic hypothesis.
Sources Journal article (charoitite geochemistry)
Recorded localities
Authoritative sources name a single or principal locality.
Asia
- Sirenevyi Kamen deposit, Murun Complex, Eastern Siberia, RussiaPeer-reviewed literature calls it the only known deposit in the world; also the type locality
Sources Journal article (charoite age) · Journal article (charoitite geochemistry)
These are localities recorded by authoritative sources, not an origin finding for any individual piece. The CIBJO Gemstone Book (2022, §4.2.3) says a place of origin names where a gem was mined or harvested, is a matter of opinion, does not imply a level of quality, and that cutting, processing or exporting centres must not be used to imply origin. See how far testing can go on this page, the origin determination guide and the overview of recorded localities.
Causes of colour and optical effects
The initial purple/lilac colour of charoite is related to Mn and can be changed to brown or white by weathering and oxidation, a process associated with loss of K and Na.
Evidence grade AScope: Applies to charoite's colour cause and weathering-related colour change; implies nothing about reversibility or universality.
Sources Journal article (charoitite geochemistry)
Other research findings
Charoite is both a mineral species and the rock that shares its name.
Evidence grade AScope: Defines charoite as both a mineral species and a rock of the same name.
Sources Journal article (charoite age)
In the magmatic hypothesis (Hypothesis A), the first charoite-rock minerals began crystallising at high temperature (>800°C), and the process may have ended at lower temperatures (600–450°C).
Evidence grade AScope: This temperature range is asserted by the magmatic hypothesis, is not consensus, and is not settled here.
Sources Journal article (charoite genesis)
Limits of this research
- Research status: Formation, occurrence or other material-specific findings found in authoritative sources
- Both sources are paywalled abstract pages containing only the abstracts; detailed genesis and dating data cannot be verified further from them.
- The genesis of charoite is an unresolved controversy (magmatic vs. alkaline metasomatic); this record presents both and does not choose.
- The metasomatic view appears in the source as a cited reference (Biryukov & Berdnikov, 1992, on the paragenetic link of charoite mineralization with alkaline metasomatism); its full text is not available in this record.
- The abstract of the 2022 Ore Geology Reviews paper (DOI 10.1016/j.oregeorev.2022.104787) was added, supplying anchorable facts on the crystallization environment and Mn-related/weathering colour change; the genesis controversy itself is still presented in parallel without choosing.
Methodology
- Origin determination and its limits
- Quality grading and value factors
- How gemmology became a technical discipline
Evidence grades
- A
- Standards bodies, government geological surveys, peer-reviewed research and museum records
- B
- Institutional educational material
- C
- Specialist databases or cautious readings
A statement is never graded above its strongest source.
This section is LumaLark's own factual restatement of public authoritative sources, credited item by item; it contains no verbatim excerpts, images or third-party logos.
DecideListing name, disclosure, care and treatments
- Suggested listing name
- Charoite
GB/T 16552—2017 Table A.2 “Charoite” · CIBJO Gemmological Laboratories Book 2024 §7.2.1.46 “Charoite”
Construction or treatment status
Natural identity; treatment status unknown
Treatments recorded for this material: Filled / Fracture-filled
This page cannot answer
Natural? · Origin · Price
A lab report settles these; this wiki covers naming and disclosure.
Related:What this page can answer
Answer at a glance
Charoite is Charoite; use "Charoite" for listings, and disclose any known treatments.
What this means for you
Before buying, check the recommended listing name "Charoite" and any disclosed treatments on this page, and ask the seller for a grading report if in doubt.
- Last reviewed
- 2026-09-01
Care and wear
Normal care for every gemstone (CIBJO Gemstone Book §6.1), in brief:
- Handle it gently.
- Store pieces apart when not worn, so they cannot scratch each other.
- Clean with warm soapy water and a soft brush.
- Use ultrasonic cleaners only with caution.
The §6.1 wording and the full list of §6.2 special-care letters cited on this page are on the general gem care page.
Care
Charoite — care (cleaning): Some stones are susceptible to damage from ultrasonic cleaning. Do not expose them to ultrasonic cleaning.
CIBJO Gemstone Book 2022
CIBJO Gemstone Book §6.2:special-care code j
- Treatment state
- any treatment state
Source & check 2026-09-25
- Source
- CIBJO Blue Book — Official Gemstone Book (Coloured Stone Commission 2022) (CIBJO): §8 Annex C, Charoite, p.38; §6.2 j (locator checked 2026-09-25)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-25
Charoite — care (chemicals): porous, so do not let it come into contact with coloured fluids; treatments with dye, oil, resin, wax or plastic are not permanent; keep it away from all solvents (including dish-washing liquids), chemicals and heat.
CIBJO Gemstone Book 2022
CIBJO Gemstone Book §6.2:special-care code c, special-care code k
- Treatment state
- treated
- Only after these treatments
- surface waxing
Source & check 2026-09-25
- Source
- CIBJO Blue Book — Official Gemstone Book (Coloured Stone Commission 2022) (CIBJO): §8 Annex C, Charoite, p.38; §6.2 c, k (locator checked 2026-09-25)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-25
Each row's “Source & check” expands to the full source; the date beside it is the fact check date.
Common care questions and matching entries
CleaningCare of Charoite: as registered from the CIBJO Blue Book — Official Gemstone Book (Coloured Stone Commission 2022), Charoite should not be cleaned ultrasonically, regardless of treatment status. ChemicalsOn chemicals, for surface-waxed Charoite only (treatment status: treated): Charoite is porous, so keep it away from coloured liquids; dyeing, oiling, resin impregnation, waxing and plastic impregnation are all non-permanent treatments, so it should be kept away from all solvents (including all detergents), chemicals and heat. General careGeneral care that applies to all gemstones, and the full key to the special-care letters cited in each entry, are in the general care section of the materials index page.
This table scrolls sideways on narrow screens.
| Question | Matching entries |
|---|---|
| Can it go in an ultrasonic or steam cleaner? | care (cleaning) |
| Contact with acids, alkalis and household chemicals | porous, so do not let it come into contact with coloured fluids; treatments with dye, oil, resin, wax or plastic are not permanent; keep it away from all solvents (including dish-washing liquids), chemicals and heat |
Care entries by treatment state
The same entries grouped by the treatment state each applies to; each links to its full wording and source. Letters are CIBJO special-care codes, explained on the gemstone care page.
any treatment state
- care (cleaning) §6.2 j
treated (Only after these treatments: surface waxing)
Treatments and identification leads
Registered treatmentsThe registered treatments for Charoite are surface waxing and filling. Values not givenSurface waxing has the status treated, an effect stability of unstable and an unknown prevalence; its identification leads and source are recorded as “—”, meaning the cited source gives no value, not “none”. Filling has the status treated; its effect stability and prevalence are recorded as “—”, meaning the cited source gives no value, not “none”. Identification cluesThe identification leads for filling are: under magnification the filled areas differ in lustre from the host material and contain gas bubbles; under long-wave and short-wave ultraviolet light the filled areas often fluoresce differently from the host; infrared spectroscopy can detect the characteristic absorption bands of the filler; and luminescence imaging equipment such as a UV fluorescence viewer can show how the filler is distributed. The identification leads for filling come from GB/T 16553—2017; the cited standard can only be used as a reference for Charoite and does not govern it directly.
This table scrolls sideways on narrow screens.
| Treatment | Market frequency (CIBJO) | Stability (CIBJO) | GB/T 16552 category | JJA/AGL listing | Identification leads |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| surface waxingStatus: treated | how often this treatment occurs | unstable | — | — | — |
| fillingStatus: treated | — | — | Graded — see §5.4.1, Table 1 | — | See identification leads |
Where each treatment acts (schematics): Waxed · Filled / Fracture-filled
“—” means the cited source gives no value for that item, not “none”. Source: CIBJO Gemstone Book 2022 · GB/T 16553—2017; GB/T 16552—2017 Table B.1
Whether a treatment has to show in the name differs between the two rule sets (this site’s paraphrase):
- GB/T 16552—2017: a method classed as treatment has to be stated in the name itself — the method put before the name, or added in brackets after it; a method classed as optimization does not need to appear in the name, though one marked “Optimization (annotation required)” still has to be noted in the quality documents. Source: §5.4.2.1 a), b); §5.4.2.2 a)
- CIBJO Gemstone Book 2022: no longer splits treatments into ones that need specific disclosure and ones that need only general disclosure: every treatment is to be disclosed, and the seller tells the buyer which treatment was used and what special care it calls for. Source: §4.2.5 Note 2, §4.2.5.1, pp.14–15
What this table covers
What this page can give
- Registered treatments, their stability and how often they occur (see the table above)
- Identification leads for each treatment, for use when sending a stone for testing
VerifyNames, standards, technical facts, clauses and sources
Names
The name register below lists 2 names for Charoite in non-Latin scripts: 2 with no restriction recorded on use as a name.
Standard and listing namesThe Chinese formal name for Charoite is listed in GB/T 16552—2017 Table A.2, and the suggested listing name is "Charoite". Trade and mineralogical namesThe mineralogical name is Charoite; its trade name and synonym is a Chinese name meaning "purple dragon crystal", also registered as a market name on this site's own ruling, with no clause attached. Candidate search termsA further Chinese mineralogical synonym is registered only as a candidate search term, based on the main constituent minerals in the "Charoite" row of Table A.2 of the draft revision of GB/T 16552 issued for comment (2023, not in force) and the "Charoite" row of GB/T 16552—2017 Table A.2. Names in four languagesThe four-language names cover Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, English (Charoite) and Japanese. Institution usageOn authority wording, CIBJO lists Charoite (CIBJO Gemmological Laboratories Book 2024); the FTC text has no wording for this name (checked); GIA and Gem-A have not been checked. Bodies without a recorded wording show the entry's own English name, which does not represent their position. Japanese namesFor GSJ (Japan), the entry's own Japanese name is shown, and the GSJ's wording for it has not yet been verified by this site.
Name register
Every name recorded for this entry, with how it is classified, whether it may be matched to this entry automatically, whether it may be used as a product name, and the clause it rests on.
This table scrolls sideways on narrow screens.
| Name | Type | Matching | Use as a name | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| no restriction recorded (2) | ||||
| 紫硅碱钙石Simplified Chinese | synonym | search candidate only | no restriction recorded | GB/T 16552 revision draft for comment (2023, not in force) Table A.2; GB/T 16552—2017 Table A.2 “Charoite”; Note: Draft standard for comment, not in force. |
| 紫龙晶Simplified Chinese | market name | matched automatically | no restriction recorded | editorial ruling (no clause cited) |
How each authority words this name: see Names › Authority wording.
- GSJ (Japan) formal name
- チャロアイト (not yet checked for this body — the entry's own Japanese name is shown)
- Chinese formal name
- 查罗石 (GB/T 16552—2017 Table A.2)
- Mineralogical name
- Charoite
Four-language names
- 简体中文
- 查罗石
- 繁體中文
- 查羅石
- English
- Charoite
- 日本語
- チャロアイト
See also: Misleading and prohibited trade names · Supplementary name index
Classification
- Origin
- Natural materials
- Material domain
- Natural inorganic gem materials
- Browsing family
- Other silicate minerals
- Identity tier
- Mineral species
- Mineral chemical class
- Silicates
- Construction or treatment status
- Natural identity; treatment status unknown
Treatments listed by standards
For Charoite, GB/T 16552—2017 Annex B, Table B.1 gives filling as the enhancement method, with the effect of improving or changing durability and appearance; the category is not stated directly as optimization or treatment but refers to the grades GB/T 16552—2017 defines for filling. What Table B.1 notes and how the filling grades are defined are explained on the Gem treatments page.
GB/T 16552-2017, Annex B, Table B.1
Table B.1, row “Charoite” (p.16):
This table scrolls sideways on narrow screens.
| Method | Effect | Category |
|---|---|---|
| Filling | Improves or changes durability and appearance | Graded — see §5.4.1, Table 1 |
What Table B.1 is, and how the “see 5.4.1” grades are defined: see the GB/T 16552: optimization vs treatment page.
What it is and how it's identified
Charoite is composed (chemically) of charoite, with the formula (K,Na)5(Ca,Ba,Sr)8(Si6O15)2Si4O9(OH,F)·11H2O, and its phase is charoite. Its structure is a crystalline aggregate, massive or fibrous. Mohs hardness is 5–6; single charoite crystals have three directions of cleavage, generally not seen on aggregates. Density 2.54–2.78 g/cm³ is derived from the clause value 2.68 with tolerance +0.10/−0.14. Optic character is anisotropic aggregate; refractive index 1.548–1.561 is derived from the clause value 1.550–1.559 with tolerance ±0.002; birefringence is not measurable on an aggregate. Transparency is translucent to opaque. In untreated Charoite, pleochroism is not measurable on an aggregate, long-wave UV fluorescence is none to weak, patchy red, short-wave UV fluorescence is none, magnification shows a fibrous structure, mineral inclusions and colour patches, and lustre is vitreous to waxy. The UV-visible spectrum is not diagnostic, and the infrared spectrum shows the characteristic absorption bands of charoite in the mid-infrared region.
Registered material facts
Each row carries its own source and check date and can be cited on its own; “—” means the cited source gives no value, not “none”.
Definition
Charoite — nomenclature status: IMA status A: approved (accepted by the IMA after it was set up in 1958).
CIBJO Gemmological Laboratories Book 2024
Source & check 2026-09-22
- Source
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-22
Charoite — composition (chemistry): charoite: (K,Na) 5 (Ca,Ba,Sr) 8 (Si6O15) 2Si4O9 (OH,F) · 11H2O.
GB/T 16553—2017
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
Source & check 2026-09-21
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.2.9 (locator checked 2026-09-21)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-21
Charoite — composition (phase): charoite
CIBJO Gemmological Laboratories Book 2024
Source & check 2026-09-22
- Source
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-22
Structure
Charoite — structure (overall): a crystalline aggregate, massive and fibrous
GB/T 16553—2017
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
Source & check 2026-09-21
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.2.9 (locator checked 2026-09-21)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-21
Durability
Charoite — Mohs hardness: 5–6
GB/T 16553—2017
Reference points on this site: Talc 1–3, Fluorite 4, Apatite 5–5.5, Orthoclase 6–6.5, Topaz 8, Diamond 10 (Source: GB/T 16553—2017); Gypsum 1.5–2, Calcite 3, Quartz 7 (Source: Handbook of Mineralogy); Corundum 9 (Source: GIA Gem Encyclopedia (care guide))
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
- General note
- hardness only, not durability
Source & check 2026-09-21
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.2.9 (locator checked 2026-09-21)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-21
Charoite — cleavage: Charoite itself cleaves in three directions; aggregates usually show none.
GB/T 16553—2017
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
Source & check 2026-09-21
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.2.9 (locator checked 2026-09-21)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-21
For Charoite, the stability of surface waxing is “unstable”.
CIBJO Gemstone Book 2022
- Treatment state
- treated
- Treatment
- surface waxing
- Qualification
This says how well the treatment holds up, not how durable Charoite itself is.
- General note
- no durability verdict here
Source & check 2026-09-25
- Source
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-25
Physical properties
Charoite — density: 2.54–2.78 g/cm³
GB/T 16553—2017
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
- Qualification
The clause we cite gives 2.68, with a stated tolerance of +0.10 / -0.14. The range shown here is worked out from that.
- General note
- the clause has finer ranges
Source & check 2026-09-21
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.2.9 (locator checked 2026-09-21)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-21
Optical
Charoite — optic character: anisotropic aggregate
GB/T 16553—2017
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
Source & check 2026-09-21
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.2.9 (locator checked 2026-09-21)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-21
Charoite — refractive index: 1.548–1.561
GB/T 16553—2017
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
- Qualification
The clause we cite gives 1.550–1.559, with a stated tolerance of ±0.002. The range shown here is worked out from that.
- General note
- the clause has finer ranges
Source & check 2026-09-21
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.2.9 (locator checked 2026-09-21)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-21
Charoite — birefringence: not measurable on an aggregate
GB/T 16553—2017
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
Source & check 2026-09-21
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.2.9 (locator checked 2026-09-21)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-21
Charoite — transparency: translucent to opaque.
CIBJO Gemmological Laboratories Book 2024
Source & check 2026-09-22
- Source
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-22
Charoite — pleochroism: not measurable on an aggregate
GB/T 16553—2017
- Treatment state
- untreated
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
Source & check 2026-09-21
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.2.9 (locator checked 2026-09-21)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-21
Charoite — fluorescence (long-wave UV): none to weak, patchy red
GB/T 16553—2017
UV fluorescence (long-wave UV)patchy rednone–weakDots are illustrative colours built from the colour names, not measured values
- Treatment state
- untreated
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
Source & check 2026-09-21
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.2.9 (locator checked 2026-09-21)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-21
Charoite — fluorescence (short-wave UV): none
GB/T 16553—2017
- Treatment state
- untreated
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
Source & check 2026-09-21
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.2.9 (locator checked 2026-09-21)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-21
Charoite — spectrum (UV-visible): non-characteristic
GB/T 16553—2017
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
Source & check 2026-09-21
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.2.9 (locator checked 2026-09-21)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-21
Charoite — spectrum (infrared): The mid-IR spectrum carries charoite's own diagnostic bands
GB/T 16553—2017
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
Source & check 2026-09-21
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.2.9 (locator checked 2026-09-21)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-21
Charoite — magnification: fibre-like texture, mineral inclusions, color spots
GB/T 16553—2017
- Treatment state
- untreated
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
Source & check 2026-09-21
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.2.9 (locator checked 2026-09-21)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-21
body colour2 sources compared
Charoite — body colour: Violet with white to black swirls.
CIBJO Gemmological Laboratories Book 2024
- Treatment state
- untreated
- Qualification
In chapter 7 of the CIBJO Gemmological Laboratories Book, the colour descriptions of Lazulite, Sillimanite, Azurite and other entries also name violet or a violetish colour.
- General note
- colour alone is not identity
Source & check 2026-09-22
- Source
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-22
Charoite — body colour: purple or purple-blue, which may carry black, grey, white or brown colour patches.
GB/T 16553—2017
- Treatment state
- untreated
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
- Qualification
In chapter 5 of GB/T 16553—2017, the colour entries of Sillimanite, Changhua Stone, Fei Cui / Jadeite Jade and other variety clauses also name purple or a purplish colour.
- General note
- colour alone is not identity
Source & check 2026-09-26
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.2.9 (locator checked 2026-09-26)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-26
How the sources relate
- CIBJO Gemmological Laboratories Book 2024 and GB/T 16553—2017
Both describe a mainly violet material with white to black markings (the CIBJO Gemmological Laboratories Book calls them swirls). GB/T 16553—2017 also lists purplish blue and grey or brown spots.
Quality factors
Charoite — quality factor (lustre): vitreous to waxy
GB/T 16553—2017
- Treatment state
- untreated
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
Source & check 2026-09-21
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.2.9 (locator checked 2026-09-21)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-21
Each row's “Source & check” expands to the full source; the date beside it is the fact check date.
This material (RI / SG midpoints): 1.554 / 2.66; Closest values: 1Synthetic Emerald 1.565 / 2.69, 2Changhua Stone 1.56 / 2.6, 3Labradorite 1.54 / 2.65, 4Bamboo Coral 1.57 / 2.65, 5Alashan Yu 1.54 / 2.62
Show the full chart (330 registered materials)
Outside the full chart's range, drawn as triangles at the edge (RI / SG midpoints): Hematite 3.045/5.12, Synthetic Rutile 2.76/4.26, Rutile 2.753/4.23, Synthetic Moissanite 2.67/3.22
Testing and market
The tests the CIBJO laboratory protocol requires for this material, and what each method means, are in the protocol table on the laboratory testing page: §6.1.17.
How far testing can go
Charoite that has undergone filling can be identified by the following features: Under magnification the surface luster of the filled part differs from the host jade and gas bubbles show in the filled area; under long- and short-wave UV the filled part mostly fluoresces differently from the host jade; infrared spectra show characteristic absorption bands of the filler; luminescence imaging (UV fluorescence viewer and similar) shows how the filler is distributed.
GB/T 16553—2017
- Treatment state
- treated
- Does this standard apply
- can be followed as a reference only
- Treatment
- filling
Source & check 2026-09-21
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.2.9 (filling) (locator checked 2026-09-21)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-21
Charoite — synthetic counterpart on the market: No synthetic counterpart of this material is commercially available
CIBJO Gemstone Book 2022
- Treatment state
- any treatment state
Source & check 2026-09-22
- Source
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-22
For Charoite in trade, the reported frequency of surface waxing is “unknown”.
CIBJO Gemstone Book 2022
- Treatment state
- treated
- Treatment
- surface waxing
Source & check 2026-09-29
- Source
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-29
Each row's “Source & check” expands to the full source; the date beside it is the fact check date.
Clause-level definitions
In the list of gem materials and definitions in Chapter 7 of the CIBJO Gemmological Laboratories Book 2024, Charoite is defined directly under the entry name Charoite: purple, with white to black swirling patterns, fibrous in appearance, translucent to opaque. Cross-check result: defined directly by CIBJO; also present in the GB/T annex.
This table scrolls sideways on narrow screens.
| Term | Clause | Definition | Cross-check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charoite | 7.2.1.46 | Violet with white to black swirls, fibrous appearance; translucent to opaque | Defined directly by CIBJO; also present in the GB/T annex. |
Evidence and sources
Authority basis and clause sources
Sources
Further reading
Related entries and topic cluster
Parent entry and related pages on this site. Rows marked “Planned” are suggested new content and have no link yet.
This table scrolls sideways on narrow screens.
| Page | Content | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Browsing family | Other silicate minerals | Live |
| Treatments recorded for this material | Filled / Fracture-filled | Live |
| Related articles | To be added (placeholder) | Planned |
Who maintains this page
The material facts in the Charoite entry are maintained by the LumaLark wiki and matched one by one to the standard clauses or institutional sources they cite: every fact carries its source (with a clause or page locator) and a check date, so it can be traced back to the original; clause-level definitions also carry a cross-check result. The entry exists so that buyers and sellers can check naming, disclosure and material facts item by item.