Hope this helps. A piece using Spectrolite - the image was scanned from slide and is a bit dark: http://www.songofthephoenix.com/larger_amphora_.php3
So, Pam… We seem to have dealt with the spectrolite/labradorite
question, but you inadvertantly sparked another. Irridescent
hematite? That’s new to me. What can you (or anyone) tell me about
it? Thanks! – Noel
I have also seen some dealers selling transparent feldspar as "spectrolite" although I believe that this is a misnomer.
On a practical note, precise orientation of the spectrolite is
crucial if you want a vivid display of labradorescence. The slab
should be cut so that, when you hold the slab directly in front of
you at eye level, with a light shining over your shoulder onto the
stone, the colors display. If you have to tilt the slab one way or
the other to get the color to flash, the slab was not correctly
oriented when it was cut, and you may have to do some fiddling
around in order to cut a properly oriented cabachon.
Lee EinerFrom: Jewelers Gallery jeweler@interfold.com
Dave, My experience is that labradorite has a gray base, spectrolite
from Finland has a darker base, and the colors of gold and peacock
blue, and greens are much more vivid. That’s what I have seen with my
eyeballs. I have never seen labradorite that looked like spectrolite,
and I have never seen spectrolite that looked like labradorite.
Richard in Denver
From: “Karen Seidel” rocklady@nucleus.com
Hi Dave
Both Labradorite and Spectrolite are feldspars. Labradorite comes
from Labrador, Canada whereas Spectrolite is from Scandinavia. If I
remember my gemology classes correctly they are actually the same
kind of feldspar, they just have slightly different coloring.
Spectrolite tends to be lighter and brighter from what I have seen.
Karen Bahr “the Rocklady” (rocklady@nucleus.com)
K.I.S. Creations
May your gems always sparkle.