Aventurine: Meaning, origins and properties

Aventurine is one of the gemstones formerly known as"semi-precious stones". Ultra-feminine, it brings softness and serenity to bracelets, necklaces and earrings.
How about making your own costume jewelry with gemstones? We offer a wide range of components for aventurine jewelry. All you have to do is make your choice!

What does aventurine mean?

Aventurine takes its name from the Italian aventura, meaning adventure. It was named after aventurine glass.

In the 16th century, glassmakers from Venice, Italy, settled on the island of Murano to protect the city of the Doges from fire. The story goes that, at the time, a master glassmaker inadvertently poured copper filings into the molten glass paste. The result was a glass with flakes. Adventurine glass was thus born per aventura (by chance). Hence its other name, aventuriné quartz!
This decorative glass is still made today using processes that are kept secret.
Highly appreciated in Russia, it was used to make jewelry, but also objects such as vases, candlesticks, tableware...

Before being called Aventurine, this gemstone went by many names, such as Prase (a word derived from prason, meaning leek in ancient Greek) in reference to its green color.

The origin of aventurine

This green stone has been present in many civilizations for many centuries. As far back as prehistoric times, the peoples of present-day Ethiopia made tools from aventurine.
For the Chinese, this gemstone was the imperial stone. They associated it with the goddess Guanyin Pusa, considered to be the goddess of mercy, compassion and unconditional love. The Chinese used it to make talismans or concoct elixirs to give them vitality and well-being.
The Celts associated it with knowledge and spirituality. The Incas used it to attract luck and good fortune.
In Tibetan culture, aventurine has a special dimension. It was worn as an amulet to correct eye problems. It was also used to make the eyes of statues.

What are the properties of aventurine?

Aventurine belongs to the Quartz family. It has a hardness of 7 on the Mohs scale and a density of between 2.60 and 2.65.
It comes from magmatic rocks or hydrothermal veins.

What color is aventurine stone?

Its color ranges from light green to green-brown to golden-brown-green. Translucent in appearance, it is characterized by unique mica inclusions from one stone to the next, producing a brilliant effect (aventurescence).
There are also peach-, brown-, red- and orange-colored aventurine stones. Much rarer, aventurine can be blue (from very light blue to dark blue, including midnight blue). It is then called dumortierite.

This green stone is sometimes confused with aventurine glass, Amazonite, Serpentine and Jadeite. Some brown varieties may also be similar to smoky quartz.

Where is aventurine found?

The main deposits of this green stone are found in Brazil, India, the United States, China and Russia. There are also veins in Europe, in France, Germany and Austria.

What are the benefits of aventurine?

Like turquoise, aventurine is a stone renowned for its softness. In lithotherapy, it is attributed many virtues. Considered the stone of peace and balance, it facilitates meditation and stimulates creativity and decision-making.
Linked to the heart chakra, it is said to bring calm and inner peace, calming the mind and controlling emotions. It has an anti-stress effect and is said to promote self-acceptance and acceptance of others.
Lithotherapists call it the stone of luck and optimism. They even attribute to it the power to restore humor and cheerfulness to people who have lost them.

Please note: our gemstones are not sold for lithotherapy. Natural stones are no substitute for medical expertise or treatment.

How do I clean and purify aventurine?

Like all lithotherapy stones, aventurine absorbs negative waves. That's why it's advisable to cleanse and recharge it regularly, so that it regains all its benefits.
To purify it, simply clean it with salt water or incense.

How do I recharge an aventurine stone? To recharge your stone, expose it to sunlight or moonlight for a few hours. You can also place it on a quartz cluster.

How to wear aventurine?

To create jewelry with green aventurine, prefer silver tones, as gold tends to rob it of its brilliance. Aventurine can be enhanced with925 sterling silver, a stainless steel jewelry primer or a jewelry component with a Rhodium finish.

Which stone to associate with green aventurine? To accentuate its benefits in jewelry, you can combine aventurine with rose quartz, smoky quartz, citrine, turquoise, tiger's eye, amethyst, carnelian or labradorite.