Teal Obsidian
Silica glass (~70-75% SiO2), colored variety
A deep teal glass sold as obsidian; the saturated blue-green color is manufactured and not found in natural volcanic glass.
- Mohs hardness
- 5-6
- Color
- Deep teal to blue-green, translucent
- Type
- igneous
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Overview
Teal Obsidian is a deep blue-green glass offered alongside other colored "obsidian" tumbles. Natural obsidian's color palette is restricted to black, gray, brown, and muted green, so a clear teal body color indicates a manufactured glass.
The material is made by melting silica with copper and cobalt colorants to achieve the blue-green hue, and is sometimes sold as obsidianite or art glass. It is valued for color rather than authenticity.
Like its sibling colored glasses, it is an inexpensive ornamental product.
Formation & geology
Real obsidian forms from rapidly quenched rhyolitic lava, freezing into amorphous glass without crystals.
Teal material is produced industrially: a silica melt is dosed with copper (blue-green) and sometimes cobalt (blue) coloring agents, then cooled to glass. The uniform saturated teal and frequent gas bubbles reveal furnace manufacture rather than a volcanic source.
How to identify it
Color: Even deep teal to blue-green, usually translucent.
Luster: Bright vitreous; conchoidal fracture.
Hardness: ~5-6.
Streak: White.
Look-alikes: Amazonite, chrysocolla, and apatite are opaque to translucent natural stones with stony, not glassy, textures. Teal obsidian betrays its glass nature through bubbles, swirl banding, and unnaturally even color.
Uses & significance
Teal Obsidian is used for tumbled stones, beads, spheres, and pendants in budget jewelry and crystal displays. Its rich color makes it a popular decorative item.
Metaphysical retailers associate it with communication and calm, claims grounded in tradition rather than science. As manufactured glass it has only decorative value.
Collectors seeking natural volcanic glass should look to genuine black, sheen, or rainbow obsidian.
Frequently asked questions
Is teal obsidian natural?
No. The saturated teal color is manufactured; natural obsidian is black, gray, brown, or muted green.
What colors it?
Copper and cobalt compounds added to the glass melt.
How can I confirm it is glass?
Look under magnification for gas bubbles and swirl lines, which natural stone lacks.
Is it valuable?
No, it is inexpensive decorative glass.
Teal Obsidian guides
In-depth guides for identifying, valuing, and understanding Teal Obsidian.
