Pietersite is a rare form of chalcedony with rich blue and orange coloring. The mineral is only found in two locations on Earth—China and Namibia—which makes it a unique geologic specimen.

The mineral displays a brecciated structure, meaning it is made of smaller fragments that have been broken and resealed in its matrix. Geologists have found this is due to penetrating groundwater that replaces dolomite with silica during formation, fragmenting the mineral.

This pendant contains a pietersite centerpiece from Namibia. The brecciated structure is visible from the swirling streaks of blue, yellow, and orange within.

The pietersite pendant is set into a sterling silver backing and comes with an 18" silver chain. The necklace comes in a decorative box and includes a small information card about the specimen. The card serves as the certificate of authenticity and can be found underneath the padded lining of the display box.

Each pendant has been photographed and listed separately. You can see all our currently available pietersite pendants in the collection below!

Pietersite is known mainly from two sources: China and southern Africa. It was first documented in 1962 by Sidney Pieters, a renowned gem prospector and dealer working in Namibia.

The discovery came while Pieters was inspecting farmland for purchase in Kuraman and found the mineral embedded in a dolostone matrix. Pietersite was found again in Henan in 1966, but these two locations are the only known source of the mineral. As such, it remains quite rare.

Commercially, pietersite is often used to describe brecciated variants of tiger’s eye, a gemstone characterized by reflective chatoyance, but the connection is only superficial.

Pietersite has a similar appearance due to angular fragments that give off a similar sheen. Both minerals are brecciated (meaning fragments are broken and then sealed together by a matrix) but formed under different geological processes. Additionally, tiger’s eye occurs in iron formations, running parallel to jasper formations, while pietersite does not form the same uninterrupted bands.

Tiger’s eye brecciation is likely the result of tectonic stresses, while pietersite’s fragmentation happened at a smaller scale, with precursor dolomite being replaced by silica that was deposited by penetrating groundwater.

The confusion stems in part from tiger’s eye being found nearby in South Africa, but despite the proximity and geologic similarities, the minerals are distinct from each other. Even so, “pietersite” continues to be used to refer to other minerals, confusing the matter.

Genuine pietersite varies considerably between its two sources. Chinese pietersite appears mainly in a reddish-brown but also in blue and yellow, while Namibian pietersite is less varied in color (manifesting in yellow and blue-grey) but is more brecciated and so has greater chatoyance. Thus pietersite from Namibia is very precious and is highly sought after, a radiant gem that is only known from two places in the entire world.