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Careful Cutting
The way the kunzite crystal is formed makes it easy to break, so cutting it can be tough.
Beautiful Pink
What gives kunzite its color? The small amounts of manganese, a chemical element.
Uneven Top
Kunzite crystals are usually long and have an uneven top.
Kunzite is a light pink to violet purple gem. It is usually free from inclusions that you can see with the eye. You can see its color best when you look down the end of this crystal. Kunzite was newly identified a little over 100 years ago. Formed in igneous rock, kunzite is also pleochroic. It shows different colors from different angles. 
Colors
IMG - Gem Factoid Color - Pink IMG - Gem Factoid Color - Purple
The colors of the awesome kunzite are the pinks and purples. They can be from a pale pink to a very rich violetish purple.
Famous Kunzite
IMG - Kunzite Factoid 153870 200x200
The "Big Kahuna" kunzite crystal is from Pala, California, in the United States. It weighs 4.8 pounds (2.2 kilograms)! 
Mark Mauthner, courtesy Oceanview mine
History

1902

Discovery

Although 100 years might seem like a long time, it is really not that long ago in the world of gems. Kunzite was discovered in 1902 in San Diego County, California, in the United States.
what's in a name?
Kunzite
[koon-zite]
(noun) Gemologist George F. Kunz, was the first person to describe this beautiful gem. It was named in his honor.

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