Celestine Gemstone Information

The celestine gemstone is less widely known than diamonds, emeralds, sapphires, and rubies. However, it's nonetheless beautiful, making it a favourite among jewelry lovers and collectors looking for unique additions to their collections.

If you're wondering, about the celestine properties, meaning, colour, and whether there's a difference between Celestine and celestite, here’s what you need to know.

Celestine Properties

First, it’s important to understand that there isn’t a difference between Celestine and celestite. Those are simply two terms for the same gem, with Celestine being the more widely used variant.

Technically, Celestine isn't a gem. Instead, the physical properties of celestite make it a strontium sulphate mineral. The celestine mineral is part of the larger barite mineral group.

One of the key celestine properties is that it often forms defined crystals, which is why it's favoured by collectors and those who use crystals for spiritual pursuits. Along with single crystals, celestine geodes aren't uncommon. As a result, you may find crystal clusters in jewelry and collector-sized samples.

When it comes to the question, “Is celestite rare?” the answer is generally “no.” However, celestine crystals that offer sufficient transparency and low numbers of inclusions – making them suitable for faceting – are considered rare.

Celestine Color

If you’re wondering, “What colour is celestite?” the answer is, “It depends.” When most people think of the celestine stone, they envision blue celestite.

Blue celestine has soft colouring ranging from a tinge of cool gray to deeper denim that veers towards lilac. The transparency and segments that may appear whitish give the celestine gemstone an icy look when it's in these colours.

However, Celestine comes in other colours. Many samples are actually colourless and translucent, typically similar to quartz in its raw form. You can get different hues when introducing various impurities, such as gray, green, pink, red, orange, yellow, or brown. Inclusions may also result in hints of haziness across the entire gem or in specific sections, the latter of which may resemble clouds in the sky.

In most cases, blue celestite is the most popular variant, as the hue has a heavenly appearance and is a colour not typically found in most stones. But the other versions are often quite beautiful; they just aren’t as widely available.

The History of Celestine

Celestine was formally discovered on Kelley Island in Lake Eerie in 1791. Its name is derived from “caelestis,” which is a Latin word that means “celestial,” “sky,” or “heaven,” depending on interpretation and context.

Some Sicilian legends say celestite fell from the stars, ultimately making their way to Earth. Additionally, other cultures frequently used Celestine for ornamental purposes far before its official discovery and naming. For example, Romans and Greeks wore amulets with celestine stones to protect themselves from evil.

Those origins largely describe one of the primary uses of Celestine. It's often viewed as an ornamental stone, making its way into jewelry or becoming collector’s pieces.

However, celestite is a reliable source of strontium, which has industrial functions. For example, it's a component in some pyrotechnics and plays a role in sugar-beet refining. Strontium is also valuable in the pharmaceutical and chemical industries and in the production of specific alloys.

Where Is Celestine Found?

The celestine stone was formally identified after samples were found in the Lake Eerie area, and Ohio remains a notable source of blue celestite. However, other states produce outstanding crystals. Some of the highest quality blue celestine crystals also originate from Madagascar.

Sicily, Italy, has celestine mines known for yellow versions of the stone. Red celestite is mined in Tunisia, as well as some other locations in Africa. For orange varieties, Ontario, Canada, is one of the best sources. Both Poland and Spain produce celestite, typically leaning toward yellow. 

Celestine Jewelry

Those looking for celestite jewelry typically won't find pieces in chain jewelry stores. The appearance of the gemstone often fluctuates from one gem to the next. Additionally, gem-quality stones that are suitable for faceting are rare.

However, celestite crystal jewelry is popular among independent designers, making pieces reasonably accessible. Typically, you’ll find a mix of designs, some featuring essentially raw crystals or clusters and others including polished or tumbled versions of the stone.

Cabochons are one of the most widely used options, particularly for pendants and rings. Celestine beads are similarly popular, especially for strand necklaces and bracelets. You’ll also see celestite beads on pendulums, as well as some drop earrings.

In most cases, celestine jewelry features blue celestite, the most popular hue for accessories among the various options. The colouring of the gemstone is striking but subtle, and it pairs well with nearly any metal, including gold, silver, copper, and rose gold.

Celestine Meaning

As with most gemstones, the celestine stone meaning does vary depending on a person’s belief system. Many feel the celestine meaning focuses on spiritual enlightenment and connection, though others think the celestite metaphysical properties connect more with mental clarity and learning one’s higher purpose.

Celestine is also commonly associated with peace, calm, and relaxation. It’s said to cool hot tempers and assist with grounding, the latter of which some find surprising due to the sky-like hue of many of the gemstones.

When it comes to the celestite chakra, it's usually connected to the third eye chakra, as the associated colour is indigo, which is a purplish-blue shade. Some also align it with the throat chakra, as its colour is a lighter blue, though that's generally less common.

Regarding celestite healing properties, some say it can assist with stress reduction, remove toxins, or aid with digestive issues. However, any of those celestite benefits aren't scientifically backed. As a result, it's best to avoid using any gem as a substitute for legitimate medical care, including both for physical ailments and mental health concerns. While holding, wearing, or meditating on Celestine isn't likely to cause harm, it's best to seek guidance from a licensed medical professional for any and all health issues.

Stones Similar to Celestine

As with many stones, there isn't an exact match to Celestine other than the genuine article. However, some gems have things in common with celestite, which could make them reasonable substitutes depending on your goal.

When it comes to the soft, blue hue, Angelite is similar to Celestine. However, Angelite leans towards opaque, causing it to stand out from Celestine distinctly.

Blue lace agate also dances the line between light blue and lilac, so its colouring is similar. However, it usually features clear banding, which isn't present with Celestine. Additionally, blue lace agate, while not fully opaque in many cases, isn’t as translucent as many celestite crystals, giving it another standout difference.

In the common form – meaning it lacks opalescence – some blue opals may have a hue that isn't unlike celestite. However, the transparency can vary so that it may be more or less translucent than Celestine.

Hemimorphite can come in colours that aren't far from celestite, though hemimorphite tends to lean toward turquoise or green. Additionally, hemimorphite is pretty rare, and it's challenging to work with since it's softer and brittle, so it is less widely available in jewelry pieces.