Scheelite is a beautiful mineral that has mainly three varieties, because of which you can find this gemstone in various mesmerizing colors. And these gemstones are world-famous for their fluorescent glow. Although scheelite is a common mineral, the gem grade scheelite that is known for its intense sparkle and which is used in faceted form is quite rare. If you hold a faceted scheelite ring in your hand (which is gem grade), you will observe that the fire and brilliance this gemstone showcases are similar to that of diamonds. No doubt scheelite gemstone jewelry is highly sought after by collectors. Do you wish to know more about scheelite, and do you want to know what factors you need to consider as you go out and purchase a scheelite ring or any other scheelite jewelry? Well, if you are saying yes, then let's first start with the very basics: what scheelite is.
What Is Scheelite & What Are Its Types?
Scheelite is a rare semi-precious gemstone made up of tungstate of calcium, with the chemical formula of CaWO4. The most precious varieties of scheelite range from colorless to yellowish and orangish hues. Other names for this stone are Calcioscheelite, Calciumwolframite, Trimontite (or Trimonite), Tunstitite (or Tungstite), and Tungstate of Lime. You must be amazed to know that because scheelite is a great source of tungsten, it is used in various industries for making electrodes, high-speed steel (that is used in cutting and sawing), and light bulbs.
You can easily identify scheelite by the signature fluorescence it produces. Almost all natural scheelite specimens showcase a strong, blue fluorescence, which can sometimes also range from whitish to yellowish colors. Why does scheelite stone showcase fluorescence? Well, it's because the scheelite stone has high traces of molybdenum present in them. A fun fact: the scheelite gemstone suits the zodiac of Libra very well, so if you are a Libran (meaning, born between the 23rd of September and the 22nd of October), then definitely wear a scheelite ring, or any other scheelite jewelry, so as to improve your luck. Below are the three main varieties of scheelite.
Molybdoscheelite
This variety of scheelite, known as Molybdoscheelite, is made up of molybdenum. Although Molybdoscheelite is similar to powellite, yet, on one hand, where Molybdoscheelite showcases a whitish-yellow fluorescence, powellite showcases golden-yellow to yellow fluorescence.
Star and Cat’s Eye Scheelite
Star scheelite and Cat’s eye scheelite is an optical wonder as it's one of the rarer types of scheelite and it shows asterism and chatoyancy. Both – asterism and chatoyancy – are optical effects where fibrous inclusions reflect light on the surface of the gemstone, with the difference being, in asterism, the scheelite gemstone reflects a star shape whereas, in chatoyancy, the scheelite gemstone reflects one ray of light that resembles a cat’s eye. These varieties of scheelite are generally mined from Sri Lanka, and if you are buying one, be aware of imitations – many online sellers fool their customers in the name of Star and Cat’s Eye Scheelite.
Blue Scheelite
Blue Scheelite, which also goes by the trade name lapis lace onyx, is not a scheelite – and if you are thinking that it’s an onyx, well, it is also not an onyx. Blue scheelite is a gemstone that is mined in Turkey and is composed of blue calcite and dolomite, and this stone generally displays bands of white, blue, and at times, yellow. The reason why this gemstone is named blue scheelite is because this stone showcases the exact same fluorescence as any specimen of scheelite does. On the Moh’s Scale of Mineral Hardness, the lapis lace onyx stone ranks at five, which is why it's neither too hard nor too soft.
Basically, this rock is made up of calcite, which gives it a pale color, and then there are areas displaying golden, yellowish, and dark green color in the middle of the stone (which is due to the presence of scheelite), and lastly, there are blue strips at the top which indicate the presence of dolomite. This stone is quite famous when it comes to making gemstone jewelry, and because blue scheelite shows beautiful fluorescence, many people buy blue scheelite rings and other blue scheelite jewelry.
What You Need to Remember as You Select a Scheelite Ring
When you go out to purchase a scheelite ring, you need to look for factors such as the color of the stone, the cut of the stone, and the transparency of the stone. For the scope of this blog, we will be explaining these factors just in the context of Blue scheelite (or lapis lace onyx), so let's begin with the first factor, color.
Color of Scheelite Stone Set in a Scheelite Ring
The color of scheelite is one of the key factors upon which the value of the gemstone depends. Stones that possess a pure, deep blue color fetch the highest value, whereas the lighter shades having grayish blue tones are less valuable. So, while going out to purchase a scheelite ring, ensure that you purchase the stone with deeper shades of blue – it looks good as well a makes your ring more valuable.
Cut of Scheelite Stone Set in a Scheelite Ring
You need to consult a good lapidary to get the stone cut, otherwise, you will be unable to bring out the best vibrant colors from a blue scheelite specimen. The scheelite stones are cut in cabochon because the stone is opaque in nature. The stone looks great after it undergoes proper polishing. One thing that you need to keep in mind about scheelite or lapis lace onyx is, that since the stone ranks low on the Moh’s Scale, you need to get the stone set in a protective setting like the bezel setting or the prong setting.
Clarity & Transparency of Scheelite Stone Set in a Scheelite Ring
The presence of blemish and inclusion on a scheelite specimen can affect the clarity of a scheelite stone. The specimens that are eye-clean and the ones that showcase minimum inclusions are the highest-valued specimens. So, as you go out to purchase scheelite for your scheelite ring, opt for the stone having minimal blemishes and inclusions.
Also, when it comes to transparency, scheelite stone is always opaque. But this does not affect the desirability of scheelite (blue scheelite, to be specific) – after all, the natural patterns of a scheelite cabochon look absolutely stunning.
Conclusion
Scheelite is a quite rare stone, and truth be told, when scheelite gemstone is set in 925 sterling silver jewelry (like scheelite pendants or rings), the bands of white, blue, and yellow look quite amazing. Now that you are armed with all the knowledge that you need before you purchase a scheelite ring, it is time that we introduce you to India’s top gemstone jewelry supplier, Rananjay Exports, which deals in scheelite, pendants, earrings, and other scheelite jewelry.
At Ranajay Exports, we take immense pride in being one of India’s few gemstone jewelry manufacturers and suppliers that deal in jewelry of 250+ different gemstones. We have a huge collection of gemstone jewelry and 925 sterling silver jewelry, some of the collections being zodiac sign jewelry, birthstone jewelry, and chakra jewelry. Check out scheelite rings and other gemstone rings at Rananjay Exports, and enjoy the huge range of options available here!
