For your gem needs see our Recommended Suppliers. Andalusite is a strongly pleiochroic gem, which means that is has different colors when viewed from different directions. While it is a strikingly beautiful gem, is largely unknown by the gem buying public. It's trichroic nature, which shows shades of brown, green and reddish brown depending on the orientation of the crystal, can be enhanced by specific orientation and cut. Those cuts with a long axis such as an oval, marquis or emerald cut tend to show one color near the center and a second, usually darker color near the ends.
Most specimens contain some inclusions, the most common being rutile needles.
Brazil is the chief producer, but Sri Lanka, Russia and the US also have deposits. Of course, so does the site of original production, Andalusia, Spain. Andalusite is hard and tough enough for most jewelry uses. Text and photos courtesy of Barbara Smigel at Artistic Colored Stones.