Average Grades
Free shipping on orders over 50€ up to 500g
French Online shop for beads and accessories for the creation of DIY jewellery and other creative hobbies
Log-in
0
Shopping cart
Shopping cart
Rhodochrosite, with its beautiful pink color ranging from pale to bright red, is mainly mined in Argentina and other countries such as Peru and the USA. It is highly prized for jewelry-making thanks to its comforting charm, and is often associated with symbolism of love and compassion.
We love rhodochrosite for its deeply meaningful legend, but also for its pretty pink color. Highly prized in jewelry, it can be used to make pretty DIY costume jewelry with its soft, comforting color. It's not for nothing that lithotherapists consider it a soothing stone associated with love. Make your own natural stone jewelry with beads and jewelry components made from rhodochrosite and other pink natural stones. Get inspired by our tutorials!
Rhodochrosite takes its name from the ancient Greek "rhodon" meaning "rose" and "khroma" meaning "color". It can therefore be translated as "rose-colored". This refers to its pretty color.
Legend has it that on the shores of Lake Titicaca stood a temple dedicated to Inti, the Inca sun god. One day, Canqui Tupac, a brave and courageous warrior, crossed the sacred lake and entered the temple. There he met the priestess Nusta Ajlla, and they fell instantly in love. This forbidden love forced them to flee. The Inca emperor ordered his men to pursue them relentlessly. The lovers lived in hiding for many years and had many descendants.
When Nustra died, the warrior Canqui Tupac buried his beloved at the foot of a mountain. Mad with grief, he turned to stone. Years later, a shepherd discovered that the stones had turned into a multitude of blood-colored rose petals. The shepherd picked up one of them and took it to the Inca emperor. Upset, he forgave the two lovers. Rhodochrosite was renamed the Rosa del Inca.
It is said that this natural stone was discovered in the 12th century (pre-Columbian era), in copper and silver mines in Argentina. For the Incas, this pink stone had a special cultural and religious significance. They used it for ornamental, ritual and funerary purposes. They cut it to create beads, figurines, pendants, necklaces and clothing ornaments. Archaeologists have found this gemstone in the form of jewelry in some royal and noble Inca tombs.
After the fall of the Inca Empire, this natural stone fell into oblivion. It wasn't until the 18th century that it was rediscovered. The German mineralogist Johann Friedrich Ludwig Hausmann gave it back its original name of rhodochrosite.
In the 1830s, it was brought back into fashion with an exhibition by the German Franz Mansfeld.
Today, this pink stone is the national stone of Argentina and the official stone of the U.S. state of Colorado.
This pink stone has a hardness of 4 on the Mohs scale, making it relatively soft. Its density ranges from 3.5 to 3.7 g/cm³.
The color of this gemstone varies from pink to red. It can vary in intensity from pale pink to bright red. It has a vitreous lustre.
Because of its color, it is often confused with rhodonite.
The main deposits are found in Argentina, Peru, France, Gabon, Argentina, South Africa, China, Mexico and the United States.
Like most pink stones, rhodochrosite is a stone associated with love and compassion. It is also a soothing stone, said to bring calm and serenity.
Lithotherapists recommend rhodochrosite for meditation practice, as it enables the renewal of energies.
Which chakra for rhodochrosite? This gemstone balances the solar plexus chakra, combating stress, and the heart chakra, acting on the emotional side.
Please note: our gemstones are not sold for lithotherapy. The effects of stones have not been scientifically proven. Natural stones are no substitute for medical expertise or treatment.
According to lithotherapists, it's important to purify rhodochrosite in order to rid it of the negative energies it has accumulated and recharge it with positive energy so that it regains all its benefits.
To purify it, soak it in a container ofdemineralized waterfor a few hours, or wrap it in sage fumigation.
To recharge, simply expose it to sunlight for several hours. To reinforce this action, place it on a quartz cluster.
Rhodochrosite's soft color complements both gold and silver. Jewelry primers in Stainless Steel or 925 Silver will highlight its delicate hue, while jewelry primers in Gold filled or Gold Plated will give it a chic, refined charm.
Which stone to wear with rhodochrosite? According to lithotherapy practitioners, combining rhodochrosite with stones with complementary properties can be interesting. Here are a few examples:
What stone not to associate with rhodochrosite?
Credits
Perles & Co, Internet & E-Commerce company [18/03/2026] Any reproduction, representation, adaptation, in any form whatsoever, even partial, is prohibited, except for reproduction for private use not intended for collective use, representation in the family circle (art. L 122-5 CPI) and online publishing on condition that the source is mentioned and a link is included to the corresponding page of our site www.perlesandco.com.
