RARE WHITE BENITOITE
1.135 carat Round Cut
6.25mm x 4.05mm
 
Benitoite is a bright blue stone with greater dispersion than diamond which is only found in a single location in the United States --- San Benito County, California.
 
Because of its rarity and the manner of its formation, Benitoite is classified as a Type II gemstone in the Gemological Institute of America's clarity classification system.  This means Benitoite is expected to contain the same level of inclusions as would be found in an unheated Sapphire.
 
Benitoite has a high specific gravity, which makes it more dense than diamond…although not as hard, rating only 6.0 to 6.5 on the mohs scale.  A one carat Benitoite is smaller than a one carat diamond, yet they are still extremely difficult to obtain in sizes larger than one carat.  All of these unique gemological attributes helped make Benitoite the state gemstone of California in 1985.
 
Benitoite is commonly found in shades ranging from dark violet to pale blue, but more-rarely, white and colorless stones are seen.  Inclusions of white and blue crossite fibers are often found in the natural crystals, and while "streaks" of blue can be seen in this example under magnification, they are invisible to the naked eye.
 
The color and refractive index of Benitoite is similar to Sapphire, but Benitoite is unresponsive to heat.  Gem clarity and color does not improve with thermal treatment, so every stone is completely natural and unenhanced.  However, the much rarer White Benitoite will permanently transform into a bright neon-orange if exposed to high temperatures!  Benitoite fluoresces blue under short-wave ultra-violet light, and glows red under exposure to long-wave.
 
This is one of the largest pure white benitoites in existence, and it is truly an incomparably rare gem.