Red aventurine is quartz with tiny flakes of iron-rich hematite or goethite, which give the rust-red color and the glitter. A flat, sparkle-free red bead may be dyed. We do not carry it.
Quartz (quartzite) · Aventurine
Red Aventurine
Aventurina roja
- Palette
- Red Orange Brown
- Mined in
- India, Brazil, China, Italy, Nepal, Russia, Chile, Spain
- Hardness
- Mohs 6.5–7.0 ?
- See-through
- translucent
- Known since
- Prehistoric
- Named for
- Italian a ventura, meaning by chance
- Also sold as
- orange-red aventurine, peach aventurine
- Intention
- Abundance Strength
- Looking for
- Luck Willpower Change and decisions
- Water
- Fine with water and mild soap
- Dye or finish
- Red aventurine is usually natural and untreated, though a flat, sparkle-free, very even red bead may be dyed.
Not in our pieces now
FUCHSITE
The classic silvery-green sparkle of aventurine comes from fuchsite, a chromium-bearing mica.
HEMATITE OR GOETHITE
The orange and brown tones in aventurine are attributed to flakes of hematite or goethite.
6.5
Aventurine measures about 6.5 on the Mohs scale, a little softer than single-crystal quartz.
What it is
Red aventurine is a translucent to opaque quartz in brick red to rusty orange, glittering with tiny flakes of iron-bearing hematite or goethite. Bead strands vary a lot; a flat, sparkle-free bead in a very even red may be dyed.
What gives it its color
The red, orange and brown come from flakes of iron minerals (hematite or goethite) in the quartz; the flakes also give the sparkle.
Where it comes from
India is by far the largest commercial source of aventurine, with Brazil second and smaller amounts from Russia, Spain, Chile and Tanzania.
In history
The name aventurine comes from Murano glass: Venetian glassmakers made the sparkling copper-flecked glass now called goldstone, first documented in 1626, and the name later passed to the quartz that looks like it. Most green aventurine quartz today is carved into beads and figures, much of it in India near Mysore and Chennai.
What's said about it
Crystal lore has no separate entry for red. The nearest, orange aventurine, is thought of as a stone for luck, a fresh start and sticking with something hard.
The name goes back to sparkling Murano glass, made by chance, which is why it is called aventurine.
People wear it as a bracelet or keep it in a pocket.
How people wear or keep it: On the wrist, or in a pocket.
In crystal practice
In the crystal tradition, red aventurine is paired with the root chakra, 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, in a pocket. People reach for it when they want luck, willpower, change and decisions, 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.
ChakraRoot
ZodiacAries
ElementFire
Also calledorange-red aventurine, peach aventurine
Care
- Hard enough for everyday wear.
- Clean with a soft cloth and mild soapy water, then dry.
- Keep it out of long soaking and harsh cleaners; if a strand's red rubs off on a cloth, it is dyed and needs gentler care.
- Store apart from rough stones so the polish and sparkle stay bright.
How to tell what you have
- Red aventurine is quartz with tiny flakes of hematite or goethite that make it glitter, in brick red to rusty orange.
- Venetian aventurine glass is a man-made look-alike, so check for the natural glitter and an uneven color.
- Keep it off a hot car dashboard, as extreme temperatures can affect it.
What sets the price
Price follows how rich and even the red-orange color is and how much natural sparkle it shows; a very glittery, glassy look can mean man-made goldstone, and bead size and polish also matter.
Questions people ask at our table
What is red aventurine?
It is quartz with platy hematite or goethite flakes that give the red color and a glitter called aventurescence. It is a quartzite, a rock made of fused quartz grains.
Is red aventurine natural or dyed?
Many strands are natural, but a flat, sparkle-free bead in a very even red can be dyed quartz. Ask the seller, and rub a wet cotton swab on a hidden spot to check for dye.
Is it the same as goldstone or sunstone?
No. Goldstone is man-made glass with copper flecks, and sunstone is a feldspar that is usually clearer. Red and orange aventurine can be confused with sunstone.
Where does it come from?
Aventurine in general comes from India, Brazil, China, Russia and elsewhere, with orange material from Chile, Spain and Russia.
Do you carry it?
We do not carry red aventurine. We carry plain, green, brown and pink aventurine, plus red tiger eye and red leopard for a red look.
Not in our pieces right now
Stones we do carry that are close to it are listed under related stones.
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