Orange selenite is gypsum, the same very soft mineral as white selenite, in peach to orange. The tint is usually put down to iron oxide, but some pieces are dyed and orange calcite is sometimes sold under the name, so ask what a piece is.
Sulfate · Gypsum (selenite)
Orange Selenite
Selenita naranja
- Palette
- Orange Pink
- Mined in
- Morocco
- Hardness
- Mohs 2.0 ?
- See-through
- translucent
- Known since
- Prehistoric
- Named for
- its orange color; selenite is Greek for 'moon stone'
- Also sold as
- peach selenite, orange satin spar, Moroccan orange selenite
- Intention
- Protection Calm
- Looking for
- Protection Clearing negativity Rest and meditation Creativity
- Water
- Keep it dry; wipe with a soft cloth
- Dye or finish
- Selenite beads are coated and dyed; orange or peach color is not reliably natural, so ask which it is.
Not in our pieces now
58 °C
Inside the Cave of the Crystals at Naica, Mexico, the air reaches 58 °C at 90 to 99 percent humidity, and an unprotected person can last only about ten minutes at a time.
500,000 YEARS
The giant selenite crystals of Naica's Cave of the Crystals grew for at least 500,000 years.
SÁNCHEZ BROTHERS
Brothers Juan and Pedro Sánchez broke into the Cave of the Crystals in April 2000 while drilling in the Naica mine.
What it is
A soft gypsum in peach to orange, often fibrous with a silky shine, sold as polished sticks, spheres and bowls more than beads. The tint is usually put down to iron oxide in the rock; some pieces are dyed, and orange calcite is sometimes sold under this name.
What gives it its color
Selenite is gypsum, naturally clear to white; gypsum can pick up an orange tint from iron oxide in groundwater, but orange or peach beads are dyed or coated.
Where it comes from
Large selenite crystals come from the Naica mine in Chihuahua, Mexico; selenite and gypsum flowers are also known from Morocco, Oklahoma and Brazil.
In history
Sheets of selenite served as window panes in Rome's church of Santa Sabina and were common in medieval Germany. In 2000 miners at Naica, broke into the Cave of the Crystals, whose selenite beams reach 11 meters long.
What's said about it
In crystal lore, selenite is the stone people keep for clearing a room and settling the mind. It's said to bring a sense of protection, and orange stones are traditionally tied to creativity.
The name comes from the Greek for moon stone, and in medieval Germany clear gypsum was called Mary's glass.
It is kept on a shelf or desk, or in a pocket pouch, away from water.
How people wear or keep it: On a desk, on a shelf, in a pocket, or in a meditation space.
In crystal practice
In the crystal tradition, orange selenite is paired with the sacral 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 a desk, on a shelf, in a pocket. People reach for it when they want protection, clearing negativity, 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.
ChakraSacral, Crown
ZodiacCancer, Gemini, Pisces
ElementEarth
Also calledpeach selenite, orange satin spar, Moroccan orange selenite
Care
- Very soft: it scratches with a fingernail, so keep it apart from other stones and out of knocks.
- Keep it away from water and salt, which dull and can damage it.
- Wipe with a soft dry cloth. A color that rubs onto a damp cotton swab means the piece is dyed.
- Best kept on a shelf, desk or in a pocket pouch, not worn through the day.
How to tell what you have
- Selenite is gypsum: so soft (Mohs 2) a fingernail scratches it, and it is water-soluble, so do not soak it. Fibrous satin spar looks silky.
- Orange calcite is sometimes sold under this name; calcite is harder (Mohs 3, a coin scratches it) and fizzes in vinegar. Check for dye at the drill hole.
Rules and sourcing
Orange selenite beads are coated and dyed, so the orange or peach color is not reliably natural. The FTC jewelry guides call for a seller to disclose the coating and dye.
Questions people ask at our table
What is orange selenite?
It is gypsum, the same soft mineral as white selenite, in peach to orange. The color is usually explained by iron oxide, and the stone is mostly sold from Morocco.
Is it natural or dyed?
The sources we read favor natural iron oxide but none tested the stones, and some pieces are reported to be dyed. Orange calcite or banded aragonite is sometimes sold under the same name.
How can I tell if it is dyed?
Dye may rub off on a damp cotton swab or look unnaturally even. That is general practice, not a lab test.
Can I get it wet?
No. It is very soft and water or salt will dull it, so keep it dry.
Do you carry orange selenite?
No, we do not carry it. Orange coral and howlite are the stones in our pieces closest to its look, and selenite is the family to read about first.
Not in our pieces right now
Stones we do carry that are close to it are listed under related stones.
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