Labradorite is a variety of feldspar, which is also sometimes called Spectrolite. Spectrolite originally was a brand name for material mined in Finland and having a black base feldspar and very rich color display. It makes some of the most eye-catching jewelry imaginable. When struck by light at certain angles labradorite can display a wide variety of stunning colors of metallic iridescence or schiller effect, often called labradorescence. When not displaying its iridescence, it can appear transparent, dull and grey, black or white, with no trace of its flashing color. The schiller effect occurs when light reflects between layers of the stone and is also seen in moonstone. The rich colors of labradorite can range throughout the spectrum with blues and greens being the most characteristic; spectrolite often has a full rainbow of colors in one stone. The wow factor of labradorite puts it in a class all its own.

Common sources of labradorite include Madagascar, Finland, Canada, Mexico, the United States and Russia. My stones are usually from Madagascar, although they are often cut and polished in India. There are various legends as to the origin of labradorite as well as ideas about its mystical properties which can be easily found online. Here is one.

https://thisnortherngirl.wordpress.com/2011/02/22/labradorite-stone-born-of-the-northern-lights/

I purchased quite a few quality labradorite cabochons form India. Jaipur is one of the popular stone-cutting hubs in India and most of my labradorite is cut there. Often I recut and repolish them to fit my artistic design or to maximize the angle of flash.

Because of the labradorite's capacity to flash when viewed only from certain angles, the gorgeous effect is extremely difficult to capture in photos and the richness of color is impossible to fully appreciate without seeing it in person. When buying stones online it can be disappointing because often the flash displayed in the photo is invisible at the angle in which the stone would actually be viewed when set into jewelry. It is also difficult to know from how wide of an angle of viewing the best flash can be seen.

No two labradorite stones are the same, and my jewelry has been designed to celebrate the uniqueness of each stone. To the extent possible, each of my stones has been set at the angle that displays its most exceptional flash.