Royal Blue Obsidian
Silica glass (~70-75% SiO2), colored variety
A deep royal-blue glass sold as obsidian; the rich blue body color is manufactured, unlike natural blue-sheen obsidian whose blue is only a surface effect.
- Mohs hardness
- 5-6
- Color
- Deep royal blue, translucent
- Type
- igneous
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Overview
Royal Blue Obsidian is a deep, saturated blue glass in the colored-obsidian trade. Natural obsidian does not occur in a transparent royal blue; the only genuinely bluish natural obsidian is blue-sheen obsidian, where a thin surface shimmer (not body color) appears over black glass.
Material sold as royal blue obsidian is therefore manufactured glass colored with cobalt and/or copper compounds, sometimes labeled obsidianite or art glass.
It is an attractive, inexpensive ornamental product valued for its vivid color.
Formation & geology
True obsidian forms by rapid solidification of high-silica lava into glass, colored naturally only by iron, magnesium, and inclusions; intense blue is not among its natural body colors.
Royal blue material is produced in a furnace by adding cobalt oxide (and sometimes copper) to a silica melt, then cooling it to glass. The uniform deep blue, high translucency, and frequent gas bubbles all indicate manufactured glass rather than a volcanic origin.
How to identify it
Color: Even, deep royal blue, usually translucent and bright.
Luster: Vitreous; conchoidal fracture.
Hardness: ~5-6.
Streak: White.
Look-alikes: Lapis lazuli and sodalite are opaque, stony blues (lapis often with pyrite). Natural blue-sheen obsidian is black with only a surface blue shimmer. Royal blue obsidian gives itself away through glassy translucency, even color, and internal bubbles.
Uses & significance
Royal Blue Obsidian is used for tumbles, beads, spheres, and pendants in inexpensive jewelry and crystal displays. Its rich, regal color makes it a popular decorative material.
Metaphysical sellers associate it with communication, intuition, and the throat and third-eye chakras, claims rooted in folklore. As manufactured glass it has decorative value only.
Buyers seeking natural blue-toned obsidian should look specifically for blue-sheen obsidian, understanding that its blue is an optical surface effect, not a transparent body color.
Frequently asked questions
Is royal blue obsidian natural?
No. The deep blue body color is manufactured with cobalt and copper; natural obsidian is not transparent blue.
What about blue-sheen obsidian?
That is natural, but its blue is a thin surface sheen over black glass, not a clear blue color.
How can I tell it is glass?
Look for uniform color, glassy translucency, and gas bubbles under magnification.
Is it valuable?
It is inexpensive decorative glass with no gemstone value.
Royal Blue Obsidian guides
In-depth guides for identifying, valuing, and understanding Royal Blue Obsidian.
