Most tektites appear black at first, although thin cuts can make them yellowish or brownish. Moldavites has a unique green colour which is very rare among tektites. A second type is the Urengoy, which is rare and very valuable (only three of them have been found), and Georgiaites. They are also rare and extremely valuable. The transparency of the moldavite makes it stand out, is moldavite rare!

We recognize these colors in moldavites

Pale Green (sometimes known by the names water green and apple green moldavites

Light green

Yellowgreen

Bottle green (the favored)

Olive green

Browngreen

Brown

Poisonous (acid) green

Olive green is my favorite colour among moldavites. These are moldavite typical colours. However, the poisonous and green moldavites are very uncommon. They are also very valuable, two-colored moldavites. The most common use of ground and polished mouldavites is in jewelry. They are transparent, and they give the best results.

Locality affects the colors of moldavites

Most common are bottle green and light moldavite in South Bohemia. You will find them less often in the Radomilice region, which is home to pale green moldavite. Olive green and brownish varieties are also common (e.g. Dobrkovska Lhotka Zatacka. South Bohemia’s poisonous green moldavites is quite rare.

Moravian Moldavites are predominantly olive-green or brown.

What causes the moldavites to have a particular color?

Their chemical coposition influences the colour and transparency. The most significant influence on the colour is the chemical coposition of iron (Fe , Fe HTML3_, and manganese [Mn II]. Moldavites are dominated by bivalent iron. This is the major factor that influences green colour. Trivalent iron can cause brownish colour. The more Fe /Fe II is, the more brown the moldavite.

Low titanium levels can create transparency.