Rhodochrosite is a pink gemstone that has only been widely used in jewellery since the 1940s. The colours can vary from a very pale pink to an intense raspberry red and the stone has wonderful zigzag layers between shades. The name originates from the Greek for ‘rose coloured’ because of its gorgeous variegated pink shades.
The most significant mines for rhodochrosite are in Argentina, where the stone has formed in stalagmite formations. Other deposits have been found in Chile, Mexico, Peru, South Africa and the USA.
