Pietersite: Your Tough Protection Against Life’s Raging Storms

Pietersite, also called the tempest stone, is a chalcedony found only in Namibia and China, with swirling blue-grey and golden bands that look like a storm cloud lit by lightning. In crystal lore it is the stone of calm in the middle of chaos, linked with protection and confidence. Here is what it is made of, where it comes from and what it stands for in tradition.

The Physical Properties of Pietersite

Pietersite is a chalcedony, a microcrystalline variety of quartz, containing amphibole minerals. Due to these fibrous minerals, cut pietersite shows an optical effect called chatoyancy in which the stone reflects a bluish band of light (similar to tiger's eye).

To maximize its chatoyant nature, pietersite is cut into cabochons, or into tall and round stones. The lapidary ensures that the cut is exactly parallel to the length of the fibres of the stone.

As a quartz stone, this chalcedony has amazing durability. However, pietersite is still sensitive to acids in common solvents and household cleaners. And its colour might change when exposed to heat. It's recommended to use warm water, a mild soap, and a soft cloth when cleaning your pietersite jewelry.

The History of Pietersite

Pietersite was discovered in 1962. It was Sid Pieters, a mineral dealer, who found samples of the mineral in Namibia. He named it after their family name to honour his father. Since then, pietersite has been used as an ornamental stone and a jewellery material.

The mineral is only found in China and Namibia. The ones from China are usually warmer, with dominant yellow, orange, and brown colours. Pietersite from Namibia has more blues and grays.

It is said that the main pietersite mine in China has ceased operations since it's no longer mining high-quality material. The Namibia mine is still producing the mineral but in limited quantities. This makes excellent pietersite specimens very limited, driving up the value and prices of the mineral.

The Lore of Pietersite

There is no legendary information on pietersite as it is a relatively new mineral.

The Lore and Metaphysical Meaning of Pietersite

In crystal lore this is a protection stone against the elements. It is the traditional charm for storms and rough weather, and people keep one in the car or by the front door as a talisman.

It is also a favourite desk stone for people who work long hours on computers, and for creative people: in crystal lore it stands for confidence in writers, designers and teachers.

In the chakra tradition, the gold tones of the stone are linked with the sacral and the solar plexus chakras, while the blue tones are linked with the third eye and throat chakras. In the tradition, these chakras stand for willpower, intuition and the courage to act on your goals. See more in our chakra stones.