We are not alone! Since the beginning of time the curiosity of humankind has been aroused by the descent of “shooting stars” or meteorites into our world. So catch a falling star as we discover the mystery behind this extraterrestrial gemstone…

Tektite comes from the Greek word “tektos,” meaning molten and was the name given by Edward Suess, a highly regarded professor at the University of Vienna.

A meteor is a small particle from space that appears as a bright light that completely burns up before it hits the ground. However, a meteorite is a meteor that is large enough to reach the ground without burning up completely. Frequently exploding on impact, throwing pieces of rare and highly sought after meteorite debris over a large area, these incredibly scarce and collectible gems are perfect for anyone fascinated by outer space.

Just the facts

Collectively known as Tektites, they are assigned specific names based on their location. For example, Moldavites, named after the river Moldu in the Czech Republic are found in this country as well as Austria and Germany, Australites are from Australia, Philippinites are from the Philippines and southern China, Malaysianites are from Malaysia, and Indochinites are from Thailand, Burma, China, Laos and Vietnam.

Considered to be gemstones from space, Tektites are fragments of natural glass that are formed from meteorite impacts with our planet. Tektites come in two forms. The more typical “splash form” Tektites have rounded aerodynamic shapes such as spheres, teardrops, dumbbells and disks, while “layered” Tektites are usually only found in southeast Asia and have blocky, fragmental shapes and often display compositional layering.

Some Tektites are smooth, but others have rough, strongly eroded surfaces. Most Tektites are jet black, but Moldavites are dark to bottle green and are usually the most suitable for faceting. Tektites look similar to Obsidian, which is a result of volcanic lava coming into contact with water, but they are differentiated by their color and chemical composition.

Tektites are only found in a few regions on earth (called Tektite strewn fields) and are, in most cases, associated with young impact craters on or near land.

TEKTITE Extraterrestrial gem
Origins Australia, Austria, China, Czech Republic, Germany, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand & Vietnam
Colors Found Black & green
Family Tektite
Hardness 5.50
Refractive Index 1.48 – 1.54
Relative Density 2.32 – 2.38
Source: GemsTV.com

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