CARNELIAN

My Carnelian comes from the Coromandel region in the north island here in Aotearoa, New Zealand.

It comes from a Mother and daughter duo who’s collection I was lucky enough to take over. They collected it back in the 1980’s as a hobby. They would spend their weekends and holidays hiking on foot through the Coromandel with only pick axes and back packs, carrying out what they had collected. It then spent 50 years sitting at their family home in their garden until they had to move house and I came along to be the new owner of their collection. They were thrilled their lifes collection was going to someone who would love it just as much as them!

Whilst I collect Carnelian myself with my girls (age 3 + 6), I don’t actually use the stones I collect. Those I keep as a part of my personal collection to make family jewels with.

Carnelian isn’t mined for here in New Zealand. It is only hand collected by hobbyists and rock collectors alike who enjoy the thrill of spending time in nature and hunting for rocks.

Carnelian is only found in a couple of places in New Zealand. The main locations being Coromandel, Northland and a small amount in Canterbury.

Carnelian is a variety of the silica mineral chalcedony coloured by impurities of iron oxide which gives it its lovely red/orange colour.