Unakite cabochon

Polished oval cabochon with mottled pistachio-green epidote and salmon-pink/orange feldspar, plus minor quartz. Opaque, vitreous-to-waxy luster; hardness about 6–7 Mohs; massive, with no visible crystal cleavage in the cut surface; specific gravity roughly 2.8–3.2.

Formed when granite underwent hydrothermal alteration, replacing much of its feldspar with epidote and quartz. It is generally Precambrian to Paleozoic in age, depending on locality, and is especially associated with altered granitic terrains.

Used for cabochons, beads, carvings, ornaments, and inexpensive lapidary material; it has little industrial value. Typical polished pieces sell for about $5–$25, with larger or especially attractive cabochons around $30–$75.

The contrasting green-and-pink pattern is diagnostic of unakite, though similar epidote–feldspar rocks are often sold under the same name. The specimen appears tumbled or smoothly cabochon-polished rather than natural.

Identify it by the salmon-pink feldspar intergrown with pistachio epidote and occasional gray quartz; it should not fizz with dilute acid and will scratch glass only weakly to moderately. Classic unakite comes from Virginia and the southern Appalachian region; near Montréal, Québec, glacially transported altered granitoid material is plausible, but exact provenance cannot be confirmed visually.