Sodalite 2x4mm Heishi - 15-16 Inch birthstone_emerald manganese and other metallic oxides

manganese and other metallic oxides captured during the forming of the rock

The addition of the rhodium plating not only protects these from oxidation but also highlights the Widmanstätten pattern

and those that still exist today have been passed down for generations

rainbow effect of light refracting off of the air bubbles inside of the stone

Sodalite 2x4mm Heishi - 15-16 Inch birthstone_emerald manganese and other metallic oxidesSodalite is named for its sodium content and may be classified as a feldspathoid. Blue Sodalite is sometimes referred to as poor mans lapis because of its similar color and much lower cost. Queen Victorias granddaughter, Princess Patricia of Connaught, was inspired by the stone and chose it for the interior decorations of Marlborough House in England. This prompted an alternative name for the gemstone: Princess Blue.