Seraphinite

From the area near the deepest lake in the world, Lake Baikal in Siberia, comes this beautiful green stone. Seraphinite is a gem variety of chlinochlore, and as such is related to Charoite. Perhaps to the person who named it, the silvery chatoyant fibers looked like angels’ wings, but to me it is a winter gem, with branching deep green designs shimmering with hoarfrost or snow. The crystalline pattern is also reminiscent of frost on windowpanes. This is a soft stone, not for belt buckles or heavy wear items. Unpolished backs.