Rhodochrosite

Rhodochrosite comes from the Greek rhodos, meaning “rose,” and khros, meaning “color,” and refers to its vivid pink to rose-red color of the stone. It has a pearly luster with layers of ping and white bands of color. Though most Rhodochrosite is in the pink to red color range, it can also be yellowish, orange or brown. Rhodochrosite is also referred to as Raspberry Spar, Manganese Spar, and most notably as Inca Rose, as the Incas believed Rhodochrosite was the manifestation of blood of their ancestral rulers. Rhodochrosite is primarily mined in Argentina, making it the National Gemstone of Argentina.