Labradorite

Labradorite was claimed to have been "discovered" by Moravian missionaries in 1770 in the Labrador region of Canada. In reality, the feldspar mineral had long been known and is mentioned frequently in the legends of the Inuit people, who referred to it as a "fire stone," and were known to grind it into powder to treat a variety of ailments. According to Inuit lore, Labradorite fell from the frozen fire of the Aurora Borealis, and indeed this mysterious mineral is just as visually fascinating as the northern lights.

Labradorite can appear opaque and colorless, however, when the angle of view is changed, pearly and iridescent green, blue, turquoise, silver, and gold colors leap out. These apparent changes are the result of the interference of light in the mineral structure, with the beautiful specimen offered here being a striking example.