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Labradorite possesses a unique optical phenomenon called labradorescence, which creates its captivating play of color. This effect is difficult to replicate artificially, making fake labradorites relatively uncommon. While even a mineral as abundant as labradorite can sometimes be imitated, these instances are rare.
The real labradorite effect is not even on the whole surface of the stone. It also has visible thin and parallel cleavage planes. Fake labradorite made of baked clay, UV resin, or polymer is softer than natural and glows under UV light. Fakes are mostly thin slabs, while real are cut en cabochon.
Labradorite’s captivating play-of-color is often compared to the aurora borealis, its vibrant hues reminiscent of shimmering butterfly wings. While truly imitating this unique effect is difficult, be aware that some imitation labradorite appears in online shops and even DIY tutorials. We’ll help you learn the key signs to distinguish real labradorite from fakes, ensuring your collection always holds genuine specimens.
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How To Tell if Labradorite is Real?
Real labradorite is a widespread mineral and is rarely imitated by fakes. It is easy to identify real labradorite by thoroughly observing the stone.
Real labradorite has an inhomogeneous play-of-color effect. It can be observed, even if rotated, that fake labradorite has a very distinct play of color, visible from all angles. Also, real labradorite is harder than fake. Fake can be scratched by a knife, glows under UV, and commonly occurs as a thin plate.
- Hard – 6 – 6.5 on the Mohs scale.
- Cold to the touch.
- Has an uneven iridescence effect, which can be observed when rotated.
- Has two directions of perfect cleavage, intersecting at about 86 degrees.
- Doesn’t glow under UV.
What does Real Labradorite Look Like?
Labradorite belongs to a feldspar group of minerals. Feldspars are the most widespread minerals in the earth’s crust and some of the most diverse. The closest related gemstones to the labradorite, which belong to the same group, are moonstones and sunstones.
Real labradorite is a grayish to bluish semi-transparent gemstone with an iridescence optical effect that looks like blue and green bands of shimmering spectral color when it’s rotated or viewed from different angles. It’s hard and heavy, feels cold to the touch, and is inert to UV light.
Labradorite was firstly described in the eighteen century on the coast of Labrador, Canada, for which the mineral is named.
Labradorite is a plagioclase feldspar. It forms fine, microscopic, intergrown layers of albite and other plagioclase feldspars.
When light hits the layers, the light waves interfere with each other, creating bands of shimmering spectral color, typically blues and greens. This phenomenon is called labradorescence, and it is named after the mineral that displays it.
Spectrolite is a variety of labradorite from Ukraine, Finland, and Madagascar, which displays its labradorescence in brilliant spectral colors of a fiery yellow, orange, and red, as well as blue and green. Because of its brightness and its range of phenomenal colors, spectrolite is the most desirable labradorite type.
BTW: Do you want to know more about rock and mineral identification? The books listed below are the best ones you can find on the internet (Amazon links):
- Smithsonian Handbooks: Rocks & Minerals
- Gemstone & Crystal Properties (Quick Study Home)
- Ultimate Explorer Field Guide: Rocks and Minerals (National Geographic Kids)
How to Identify Real Labradorite Stone?
Real labradorite is easily identifiable. As all the natural mineral material is hard, dense, and heavy, unlike artificial polymer imitations.
Real labradorite stone can be identified due to its hardness: it cannot be scratched by a copper and steel needle. Real labradorite stays inert and doesn’t glow under UV light. Real labradorite is usually cut en cabochon with a high dome. It can have a one-color effect or a rainbow of colors in one sample.
TIP: A Chisel is one of the best tools for digging labradorites in nature. But what kind of chisel to use? Find out the main differences between rock and cold chisels in the article below:
Rock Chisel vs. Cold Chisel: What’s the Difference?
How to Spot Fake Labradorite?
The increasing popularity of labradorite has led to the creation of fake gemstones. The Customer needs to be able to distinguish real labradorite from fake ones.
Fake labradorite has a very distinct play of color. Usually, there is more than one color, and it doesn’t disappear while viewed from different angles.
Fake can be spotted due to its low hardness (scratched by a knife), and it glows under UV light. The back side will be black and opaque when it is not mounted.
Fake labradorite is produced the next way:
- The black opaque clay is rolled into a thin, flexible plate.
- The plate is painted in various colors, sometimes with metallic luster and blended.
- The clay plate is baked in an oven at 245 0F (180 C) for 1 -2 hours.
- As soon as the material cooled down, a thin layer of UV resin was placed on the top.
- The UV resin quickly solidifies (2 minutes) in a UV lamp or after 2-3 hours under the sunlight.
The fake can be spotted due to the absence of the labradorescence effect. The colors are visible all the time from different points of view.
Fakes are usually too thin, while real labradorites are thick cabochons.
The hardness of the fake labradorite is lower than that of the natural one. Fakes can be scratched by a copper and steel needle or a knife.
Is Labradorite from China Real?
Labradorite from China is real. In most cases, it is not mined in China but just transported there for processing. Labradorite was mined in Madagascar and sent to China for cutting, polishing, and mounting into jewels. After that, it is transported to every corner of our planet.
TIP: Labradorite is one of the feldspar varieties. Feldspar is mistaken for quartz mineral sometimes so it is good to know the difference between these two beautiful minerals. Check them out in the article below:
Feldspar vs. Quartz: What’s the Difference? 5 Crucial Signs
Real vs. Fake Labradorite: The Main Differences
Fake labradorites can be easily spotted. Here is the table with the main characteristics that will help you to differentiate between the fake and real stone.
| Characteristic property | Real labradorite | Fake labradorite |
|---|---|---|
| Characteristic of labradorescence effect | Warm to the touch, as it is mostly made of polymers and resins. | The surface is evenly covered with colors. The effect can be observed from all angles. |
| The number of colors | Inhomogeneous, unevenly distributed on the surface. It can be observed from one view of perspective. | Have 4-7 colors. Extremely colorful. |
| Micro-layered structure | Inhomogeneous, unevenly distributed on the surface. It can be observed from one perspective. | Fractures can be painted in black color. Usually too thick. |
| Touch test | Cold to the touch. | It can be scratched by a copper and steel needle. |
| Hardness | 6 – 6.5 on the Mohs scale. It cannot be scratched by a copper or steel needle. | Usually, one or two colors (blue and green). Natural spectrolite (a variety of real labradorite) has a rainbow of colors. |
| UV light test | Inert to UV light. | UV resins and polymers can sometimes glow light blue under UV. |
| The appearance of the backside | Usually one or two colors (blue and green). Natural spectrolite (a variety of real labradorite) has a rainbow of colors. | The backside can be black and opaque. |
| The thickness | Usually cut en cabochon with a high dome and rarely as thin plates. | Extremely thick. Commonly less than 1 cm. |
TIP: Labradorite is incredibly valuable for its iridescence phenomenon, usually compared to peacock tale or Aurora light. Find out more about the value of labradorite in the article below:
Labradorite Value: Main Factors & Prices for Different Units
Conclusion
Labradorite is truly a miracle of nature. It is an abundant mineral and rarely simulated. However, sometimes fakes made of resins and polymers appear on the market.
Fakes can be spotted by the following characteristics:
- Fakes have very distinct colors.
- Flashes of light can be observed from different angles when the real labradorite effect can be observed from one side.
- Fakes do not usually exhibit cleavage fractures.
- Fake labradorite made of resins and polymers is warm to the touch.
- Fake labradorite can be identified by a hardness test. It is softer than the real one and can be scratched by a copper and steel needle.
- Fake labradorite glows in a light-blue color under UV light.
- The backside of fake labradorite is usually a dense and opaque black material.
- Fake labradorites are usually thin, while natural ones are commonly cut as highly domme cabochon.
Just an attentive observation and basic mineralogical tests like hardness and UV will help you to identify whether it is a fake or real labradorite in front of you.
TIP: UV light testing is one of the best way how to spot fake labradorite. Do you know what other rocks glow under UV light? Check them out in the article below:
12 Rocks & Minerals That Glow Under UV Light & Black Light