Danburite is a clear to milky mineral, often as bright as quartz, and it takes its name from Danbury, Connecticut, where it was first found. It is a hard stone and fine for jewelry.
Borosilicate (tectosilicate)
Danburite
Danburita
- Palette
- Clear White Yellow Pink Purple
- Mined in
- United States, Mexico, Japan, Russia, Switzerland
- Hardness
- Mohs 7.0–7.5 ?
- See-through
- transparent
- Known since
- 1839
- Named for
- Danbury, Connecticut, where it was found
- Also sold as
- Danbury stone
- Intention
- Love Calm
- Looking for
- Love Compassion and empathy Rest and meditation Communication
- Water
- Fine with water and mild soap
- Dye or finish
- Sellers rarely disclose what is done to danburite beads; clear pieces are usually natural, and any strong color deserves a look for dye or coating.
Not in our pieces now
TOPAZ
Danburite's crystals look so much like topaz that the two can be confused, yet danburite is a calcium boron silicate with no fluorine.
7 TO 7.5
Danburite rates 7 to 7.5 on the Mohs scale, as hard as quartz or harder.
WARWICKITE
Charles Upham Shepard, who named danburite in 1839, had announced another new mineral, warwickite, a year earlier.
What it is
A clear to milky stone, often colorless like quartz, sometimes pale straw-yellow, pink or lilac, with a bright glassy shine. It comes as natural points and clusters or as small cut and polished beads.
Where it comes from
Danburite was first found at Danbury, Connecticut; gem crystals come from Charcas in Mexico, Mogok in Myanmar, Madagascar, Japan and Luc Yen in Vietnam.
In history
Danburite was first found in 1839 at Danbury, Connecticut, by Charles Upham Shepard, and the town gave the mineral its name.
What's said about it
In crystal lore today, danburite is the stone people reach for when they want to feel more open and loving. It is also kept for meditation and for a quiet sense of being present.
It is a modern favorite with no old tradition of its own. People wear it as a bracelet or earrings, carry it in a pocket, or keep a piece in the place where they sit and breathe.
How people wear or keep it: On the wrist, as earrings, in a pocket, or in a meditation corner.
In crystal practice
In the crystal tradition, danburite is paired with the heart and throat and third eye and crown chakras, so practitioners rest it there during meditation or lie down with it in place for a few quiet minutes. Day to day, the same tradition suggests keeping it close: on the wrist, as earrings, in a pocket. People reach for it when they want love, compassion and empathy, rest and meditation, and many set an intention when they put it on. Most practitioners cleanse a new stone first (running water only if the stone can take it, otherwise smoke or moonlight) and set it aside now and then to rest.
These are beliefs people have held and still hold about the stone, reported as such. Nothing here is a promise or a medical claim. We sell stones as jewelry, not for these effects.
Associations
The chakra and star sign this stone is usually matched with. These are popular traditions, not facts about the stone.
ChakraHeart, Throat, Third Eye, Crown
ZodiacLeo
ElementAir
Also calledDanbury stone
Care
- Hard enough for everyday wear, but brittle, so a sharp knock can chip it.
- Clean with a soft cloth and mild soapy water, then dry.
- Store apart from other stones so harder pieces do not scratch the points and edges.
How to tell what you have
- Danburite is clear to milky or pale yellow, pink or lilac with a bright glassy shine and hardness 7 to 7.5. It is often mistaken for quartz, and its crystal shape resembles topaz.
- Colorless pointed pieces may simply be quartz; danburite is a little heavier (about 3.0 times water vs 2.65 for quartz) and shows more sparkle when cut.
What sets the price
Price follows how clear and colorless the stone is and, above all, size, because large clean pieces are scarce. Beads are usually cut from smaller or less clean material.
Related stones
Questions people ask at our table
What is danburite?
A calcium borosilicate mineral, usually colorless to pale yellow, pink or lilac. It was first described in 1839 and takes its name from Danbury, Connecticut.
Is it the same as clear quartz?
No. It looks similar and is slightly harder, but it is a different mineral with a different make-up. Danburite has a brighter flash of color when cut.
Is it natural or dyed?
Danburite needs no dye. Very vivid pink or blue beads sold under the name are worth asking about, since color is usually pale in the natural stone.
Where does danburite come from?
Connecticut gave it its name, and today it is found in Mexico, Japan, Russia, Switzerland and the United States.
Can I get it wet?
Yes. It is hard and not porous, so a quick rinse is fine. Dry it afterwards.
Not in our pieces right now
Stones we do carry that are close to it are listed under related stones.
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