Deciding whether or not a certain crystal is real or fake can be quite confusing and disappointing, especially when we find out that a stone -that we bought with such excitement – is actually not genuine.
So, if you are planning to purchase a sodalite stone (or you already have it) this article is made for you.
Sodalite is not really expensive, so there are low chances of obtaining fake sodalite stones, however, it does not cancel the probability of finding artificial sodalite stones.
Real sodalite is distinguished by a vivid blue color with a vitreous finish and white vein inclusions, plus a hardness of 5.5 to 6 on the Mohs scale, and when It is cut you can smell a unique odor (rotten egg odor) of hydrogen sulfide.
Table of Contents
Signs to help you how to tell if Sodalite is real
1. Vivid blue color
Sodalite is distinguished by a unique true and natural royal blue color, that is not altered by acetone.
A way to tell if sodalite is real, you can put a little bit of nail polish remover (acetone) on a cotton pad and try to wipe gently the surface of your stone if you notice that the cotton pad contains blue spots, it mains that the stone is actually dyed.
Important note: this method can cause irreversible damage to Sodalite. Acetone can alter and cause damage to your stone.
This method is only suitable if you purchased a bundle of sodalite stones from one source and you want to test one single stone as an indicator of authenticity.
2. Hardness score of 5.5-6
Testing the hardness of your stones is an essential indicator of the originality of your crystals.
According to the Mohs Hardness Scale, the hardness score of Sodalite is between 5.5 to 6.
If you have Iron at your disposition you can do the scratch test.
If the Sodalite stone scratches the Iron (Hardness score:5), we can say that it is harder than the Iron, which proves that the hardness of Sodalite is superior to 5.
Or, if you have a Quartz crystal you can do another scratch test, but this time if the Quartz (Hardness score:7) leaves scratch marks on the stone, this will indicate that the hardness of Sodalite is lower which is actually accurate.
Important note: Be aware of the later scratch method as it can leave permanent scratch marks on your Sodalite stone.
You can apply this method only if you bought a bunch of sodalite stones, so you can pick one stone as your “test stone” to test if they are genuine.
3. Origin: primarily USA and Canada
Being informed about the origin of the stone can be one of the most important factors to identify whether or not Sodalite is real or not, especially if you are about to purchase it online or in stores.
The following places are the well-known original places of Sodalite: The Ice River Complex, Golden, British Columbia (Canada), Northern Namibia (Africa), Litchfield, Maine (USA).
Plus we can find it in other smaller deposits located in Brazil, Bolivia, Russia, Portugal, Burma, and Romania.
So looking at the site where sodalite is originally extracted from can be a strong identifying factor to tell if sodalite is real or not.
4. Know the retailer/online store
Always keep in mind to be notified about the reliability of the place you are purchasing from.
If you want to purchase a Sodalite crystal online: reading reviews, looking at the stars rating, and having a deeper look at the online store for example the depth of the information that they are providing for each stone, all these indicators draw a clear vision on the true authenticity of the online store.
Nevertheless, if you want to buy a Sodalite physically, knowing your retailer is a big must.
A well-experienced retailer will eventually know all the answers that you may have about a certain crystal, and they will provide for you all the evidence that confirms the authenticity of your purchased stone.
So, before buying Sodalite you can ask your retailer for documents that prove where they obtained their sodalite stones.
The answer to this question can be a deciding factor of whether or not you should buy the stone. If the retailer knows nothing about the origin of the stone nor their supplies, it is then a significant alarming sign to turn down your anticipated purchase.
An authentic retailer will naturally explain to you their process of purchasing their stones, provides for you information about their suppliers, and will naturally show genuine strong signs of expertise.
5. Normal price (a very low price could be a sign of a fake stone)
Another sign to look for is the actual price of the stone.
If the price of the stone appears to be extremely cheap, then it may be another indicator of a fake stone.
Originally Sodalite stones are affordable, however, you must have an eye on the price, if the cost seems too good to be true then it is actually is!
However, you can still find real Sodalite stone that has lower prices than what you see in the market, this can be due to the material quality of the stone.
Meaning that if the stone appears predominantly white (washed out) and has a less brilliant intense blue color, its value will naturally decline in the market.
6. ”a rotten egg” kind of Odor
This might seems odd but it is actually a strong sign of to tell is sodalite is real or not.
Fake Sodalite, when it is cut in half, is odorless.
On the other hand, when cut, real Sodalite releases a colorless gas called hydrogen sulfide (H2S), which has a “rotten egg” smell.
Important note: this method is obviously damaging, you can only apply it if you have many sodalite stones in hand.
Does Sodalite have gold flecks?
Sodalite does not have gold flecks. Sodalite is characterized by only white inclusions of calcite and doesn’t contain any golden particles.
If you notice prominent gold flecks in a stone that look like sodalite, it is a sign that it’s not sodalite stone, however, it could be lapis lazuli which is characterized by gold flecks due to the Pyrite component.
How much is a sodalite rock worth?
As stated previously, Sodalite is not expensive, because it is broadly abundant in multiple locations in the world. Checking various online stores, we consider that the price of a sodalite stone is ranging between 8 to 30 dollars per piece.
The cost is strongly tied to the shape/weight of the stone, the bigger the stone, the more pricy it gets.
Summary
It is quite exceptional to stumble upon fake Sodalite, and that’s because Sodalite stones are quite abundant in the market, however, it doesn’t mean that we should neglect some telling factors that help us tell if sodalite is real or not.
Real sodalite is identified by its vivid natural royal blue shades that are not washed away by an Alcohol agent (Acetone), hardness of 5.5 to 6, a known extracted origin primarily the USA and Canada, and an actual odor when it is cut open.
To share my newfound knowledge, I decided to create a website dedicated to gemstones and crystals. I wanted to provide readers with all the information they need about the stones they are interested in. I wanted to give readers a comprehensive guide to understanding gemstones.
