Sunstone and Steatite Optical Properties

Sunstone

Steatite

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Optical Properties

Luster

Vitreous

Pleochroism

Weak or absentWalter Schumann

Dispersion

0.010.01

0.005 1

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Transparency

Transparent, Translucent, Transparent to translucent

Refractive Index

1.53-1.551.539-1.596

1 3.25

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Optic Character

Crystal System

Triclinic

Birefringence

0.007-0.0100.046-0.050

0 0.296

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Clarity

Transparent to translucent

OpaqueUlrich Henn and Claudio C. Milisenda

Sunstone and Steatite Optic Character

Sunstone and Steatite optical properties play a significant role while distinguishing these gemstones from each other. These properties are influenced by the Sunstone and Steatite Physical Properties like crystallographic symmetry, pleochroism,etc. in the crystal. Some of the optical properties are refractive index, luster, optic character, pleochroism etc. Prominent among these is Sunstone and Steatite optic character. You might have noticed your gemologist rotating the gemstone while testing it. Rotating a gemstone along its optic axis helps in determining its optic character.

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Sunstone and Steatite Transparency

Similar to their colors, Sunstone and Steatite transparency can also be used as criteria for their primary identification. Although transparency cannot be the only criteria for gemstone identification, it can efficiently used in gemstone grading. Talking about their transparency, Sunstone is Transparent, Translucent and Transparent to translucent while Sunstone is Transparent, Translucent and Transparent to translucent in appearance.