Obsidian

Q: What is Obsidian?

La obsidiana es un vidrio volcánico de color negro, marrón o verde oscuro formado por el enfriamiento rápido de lava rica en sílice, con un lustre vítreo brillante y fractura concoidea que produce bordes extremadamente afilados. Ha sido utilizada por la humanidad durante la Edad de Piedra para fabri

Q: What is the hardness of Obsidian?

Obsidian has a Mohs hardness of 5.0 to 5.5, making it moderate for use in jewelry.

Q: How much does Obsidian cost?

Obsidian falls into the Budget (< $50/ct) price range. Prices vary based on color, clarity, cut, and origin.

Q: What is the crystal system of Obsidian?

Obsidian belongs to the Amorphous crystal system.

Add one script tag to your page:

<div data-gemfyi="entity" data-slug="obsidian"></div>
<script src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/gemfyi-embed@1/dist/embed.min.js" defer></script>

Embed as an iframe:

<iframe src="https://gemfyi.com/iframe/entity/obsidian/?style=modern&theme=light" width="420" height="400" frameborder="0" loading="lazy" style="border:0;border-radius:10px;max-width:100%"></iframe>

Paste the URL in WordPress, Medium, or Ghost:

https://gemfyi.com/es/gems/obsidian/

Shields.io-compatible SVG badge:

![Obsidian](https://gemfyi.com/badge/entity/obsidian.svg)

Web Component:

<gemfyi-entity slug="obsidian"></gemfyi-entity>
<script src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/gemfyi-embed@1/dist/embed.min.js" defer></script>

A naturally occurring volcanic glass formed when silica-rich rhyolitic lava cools too quickly to crystallize, obsidian is typically opaque black but also occurs in mahogany brown, iridescent rainbow, translucent gray Apache tears, and spotted snowflake forms. It has been worked since the Paleolithic into extremely sharp blades, tools, and mirrors, and was traded widely across Mesoamerica, the Mediterranean, and the Pacific. Amorphous and without crystal structure, it measures 5.0 to 5.5 on the Mohs scale. Today this budget-tier semi-precious material is cut into cabochons, carvings, and spheres valued for their variety of patterns.

Physical & Optical Properties

Category Semi-Precious Gems

Mohs Hardness 5,0 – 5,5

Specific Gravity 2,35 – 2,6

Refractive Index 1,45 – 1,55

Crystal System Amorphous

Luster Vitreous

Cleavage None

Fracture Conchoidal

Color black

Dispersion 0,01

Pleochroism Absent

Mohs Hardness

Mohs Hardness: 5,0 – 5,5

1 Soft10 Hard

Crystal System

Value & Market

Price Tier Budget (< $50/ct)

Where to Buy Obsidian

Blue Nile Fine jewelry retailer

James Allen Gemstone jewelry

Brilliant Earth Ethically sourced gems

Amazon Wide selection

Links may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

About Obsidian

La obsidiana es un vidrio volcánico de color negro, marrón o verde oscuro formado por el enfriamiento rápido de lava rica en sílice, con un lustre vítreo brillante y fractura concoidea que produce bordes extremadamente afilados. Ha sido utilizada por la humanidad durante la Edad de Piedra para fabricar herramientas y puntas de flecha, siendo codiciada como material de comercio entre civilizaciones prehistóricas. Hoy en día se emplea en bisturís quirúrgicos de alta precisión, joyería contemporánea y como objeto espiritual y decorativo, con yacimientos en México, Turquía, Islandia y los Estados Unidos.