In crystal lore, orange calcite is a stone for creative people and a lift in self-confidence. It is traditionally linked with the sacral and solar plexus chakras, and with joy.
Carbonate · Calcite
Orange Calcite
Calcita naranja
- Palette
- Orange
- Mined in
- Mexico, Brazil, Canada, United States
- Hardness
- Mohs 3.0 ?
- See-through
- translucent
- Known since
- 1845
- Named for
- its orange color; calcite is from Latin calx, 'lime'
- Also sold as
- orange calcite
- Intention
- Abundance Strength
- Looking for
- Creativity Confidence and self-worth Joy
- Water
- Keep it dry; wipe with a soft cloth
- Dye or finish
- Calcite beads are sometimes dyed to change the color or waxed or coated for shine, so ask whether a strand is natural color.
Not in our pieces now
250 TONS
The largest documented single calcite crystal came from Iceland and weighed about 250 tons.
1669
Looking through a clear calcite crystal doubles what you see, an effect first described in 1669 by the Danish scientist Bartholin.
WILLIAM NICOL
William Nicol (1770-1851) used Iceland spar, a clear calcite, to build the first polarizing prism, now called the Nicol prism.
What it is
A soft, creamy to bright orange stone, usually in chalky or waxy masses with pale stripes rather than clear crystals. Tumbled and polished pieces take a glossy shine. The orange is natural, from trace iron and manganese in the calcite. For the general calcite entry see calcite.
What gives it its color
Orange calcite is colored by tiny amounts of iron oxide (hematite) mixed into otherwise white or colorless calcite.
Where it comes from
Most orange calcite on the market is from Mexico.
In history
Calcite has been carved since ancient Egypt, where it was linked to the goddess Bast and made into perfume jars like those found in Tutankhamun's tomb (he died about 1323 BC). Icelandic sagas of the 13th and 14th centuries mention a 'sunstone' used to find the sun through overcast sky, which many researchers take to be clear calcite. In World War II, high-grade optical calcite went into bomb sights and anti-aircraft gun sights.
What's said about it
People keep it where they make things, on a desk or studio shelf, or carry a tumbled piece in a pocket. Orange is also thought of as the color of focus and decisions.
The orange is natural, from iron and manganese in the calcite. This page covers only the orange. See calcite for the whole family.
It is soft and chalky. Wear it gently, keep it dry, and keep it apart from harder stones.
How people wear or keep it: In a pocket, on a desk or studio shelf, in the receiving hand, or in a creative workspace.
In crystal practice
In the crystal tradition, orange calcite is paired with the sacral and solar plexus 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: in a pocket, on a desk or studio shelf, in the receiving hand. People reach for it when they want creativity, confidence and self-worth, joy, 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.
ChakraSacral, Solar Plexus
ZodiacCancer
ElementFire
Also calledorange calcite
Care
- Soft (Mohs 3) and easily scratched, so keep it from rubbing against harder stones in a pocket or bag.
- Do not soak it, wear it in the shower, or use salt or household cleaners.
- Wipe with a soft dry cloth; a barely damp one is the most it needs.
- Keep away from heat and from hard knocks.
- Best in necklaces, earrings or pieces that are not knocked often.
How to tell what you have
- Calcite is soft (Mohs 3), so a copper coin or knife tip scratches it, and it bubbles in weak acid.
- Natural orange calcite exists, so orange alone does not mean dye. Dyed stone often shows color pooled at the drill hole or in cracks; a bead sold as marble may be a related form of the same mineral.
Rules and sourcing
Orange calcite beads are sometimes dyed or waxed or coated for shine. The FTC jewelry guides call for a seller to disclose dye, wax or coating.
Questions people ask at our table
What is orange calcite?
It is the orange variety of calcite, a calcium carbonate mineral. The color comes from small amounts of iron and manganese.
Is it dyed?
Natural orange calcite is a real color of the mineral, often with white stripes. Brighter-than-natural neon orange pieces are worth asking about.
Is it hard enough for a bracelet?
It is soft (Mohs 3), so it scratches and dulls with daily rubbing. It is happier as a pendant, earrings or a stone kept in a pocket on its own.
Can it go in water?
A crystal reference book advises against water and salt for calcite. Because it is soft and reacts to many cleaners, a dry cloth is the safe choice.
What are the look-alikes?
Carnelian is a harder orange chalcedony and orange coral is an organic material. Orange calcite is chalkier and softer than both.
Not in our pieces right now
Stones we do carry that are close to it are listed under related stones.
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