Red Aventurine

Red aventurine is a variety of quartz coloured by fine inclusions of hematite or goethite, iron oxide minerals that also give the stone its sparkle (aventurescence). The colour ranges from reddish-brown and brick red to orange and peach, often with a golden or coppery glitter where the light catches the inclusions.

Like green aventurine, it is a massive form of quartz (quartzite) rather than single crystals, so it is translucent to opaque and is cut mainly into beads, cabochons and carvings. Red and peach aventurine are less common than green, and gem-quality material with a strong, even colour and good sparkle is scarce. Most comes from India, with other sources including Brazil and Russia.

The name comes from the Italian "a ventura", meaning "by chance", originally given to the sparkling Venetian glass known as goldstone. Red aventurine is easily confused with goldstone, which is a man-made glass containing copper crystals. Goldstone has a more uniform, brighter glitter of tiny, evenly sized sparkles, while red aventurine has a more irregular, natural-looking shimmer and a grainy texture. Red aventurine can also resemble sunstone, which is a feldspar.

Red aventurine is not usually treated, but some material may be dyed to strengthen the colour.

Red Aventurine at a glance

Caring for red aventurine

Red aventurine is hard (6.5 – 7 on the Mohs scale) and has no cleavage, so it is durable for everyday wear. Clean it with warm soapy water and a soft brush or cloth, then rinse and dry. Avoid harsh household chemicals and prolonged high heat, especially if the stone may have been dyed. Store it separately from harder gems to avoid scratches.

In folklore

The beliefs below are traditional folklore, included for interest. They are not scientifically proven, and nothing here is medical advice.

Aventurine of all colours has long been carried as a good-luck charm, especially for games of chance, and folklore links it with opportunity and success. Red aventurine is associated in particular with courage, passion and determination, and with the zodiac signs Aries and Leo.

Red aventurine is traditionally regarded as an energising and motivating stone. Crystal healing lore holds that it boosts vitality, confidence and creativity, encourages perseverance and helps the wearer turn ideas into action. Like other aventurines it is linked with luck and prosperity. It is associated with the root and sacral chakras.

Related stones

Green aventurine, blue aventurine, quartz, quartzite and carnelian. Similar-looking stones include goldstone (a man-made copper glass), sunstone (aventurine feldspar), red jasper and carnelian. A hand lens will usually show the difference between the irregular natural inclusions in aventurine and the uniform copper crystals in goldstone.

For the technically minded

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