All the Types of Obsidian: The Ultimate Guide

Where the different types of obsidian come from

To make sense of the varieties, you have to remember what obsidian is: a natural volcanic glass, born from a silica-rich lava that cooled so quickly its minerals never had time to crystallise. I tell that whole story in my article on how obsidian is formed.

The consequence: obsidian is almost always dark. Its "colours" and patterns do not come from pigments, then, but from minute inclusions that play with the light, white cristobalite crystals, aligned gas bubbles, magnetite nanoparticles, traces of iron or haematite. That inner signature is what sets each variety apart.

A single block can combine several of these effects, which is why no two stones are ever quite alike. For the essentials on the stone itself, where it comes from, what it symbolises, what tradition credits it with, head to my complete guide to obsidian.

The 7 best-known types of obsidian

Let's start with the varieties you will come across most often, in jewellery as much as in crystal healing.

Black obsidian

Black, smooth and glassy. Protection and grounding.

Celestial eye

A blue veil, depending on the light. Gentleness and intuition.

Snowflake

Flecked with white. Balance and calm.

Gold sheen

A golden veil crosses the stone. Confidence and abundance.

Rainbow

Multicoloured iridescence. The most spectacular.

Mahogany

Black and red-brown, from iron. Grounding and vitality.

Apache tears

Small translucent pebbles. Consolation.

Black obsidian, the stone of protection

The most emblematic of all: black, smooth, almost a mirror once polished. Its depth of tone comes from iron and magnesium. This is the stone of protection and grounding par excellence, tied to the root chakra. If you are just starting out, begin here, I devote a whole article to its protective and grounding properties. In jewellery, a simple black obsidian bracelet is still the most versatile choice there is.

Celestial eye, the gentlest

Seen from a certain angle, a blue or violet veil rises to the surface, like an eye opening. The effect comes from fine layers of inclusions that diffract the light. Tradition credits it with gentleness, intuition and a real ability to quieten the mind: it is often the favourite of anyone who finds black obsidian a little too blunt.

A word on names, because this one causes genuine confusion: English-language sellers usually list this stone as blue sheen obsidian, and in my shop these pieces sit under the rainbow obsidian heading. The label changes, the stone does not, look at the reflection rather than the name. You will find them in my rainbow obsidian jewellery, or as a pendant.

Snowflake obsidian, balance

Black, flecked with little white flowers: those "snowflakes" are cristobalite crystals formed within the glass. Symbolically it is linked to balance and letting go, shadow and light reconciled. It is all explained on my snowflake obsidian page.

Gold and silver sheen

Tilt it, and a golden veil (or a silver one) sweeps right across the stone. That sheen comes from microscopic gas bubbles aligned as the lava cooled, which bounce the light back like a mirror. It is associated with confidence, willpower and abundance. A variety I love to work with: see the gold sheen obsidian page, as a bracelet or a necklace.

Rainbow obsidian, the most spectacular

Multicoloured iridescence, green, purple, gold, blue, appears in concentric bands, caused by minute magnetite nanoparticles aligned within the glass. It has to be polished with real care, and turned towards the light to give up its full rainbow. It lends itself particularly well to the rainbow obsidian bracelet.

Mahogany obsidian, the earthy one

A blend of black and red-brown, veined like a precious wood, thanks to the iron and haematite it contains. Tradition credits it with grounding, vitality and quiet strength. Warm in tone, it is very popular as a mahogany obsidian bracelet.

Apache tears, the comforter

Small dark pebbles, naturally rounded and slightly translucent when held against the light. The name comes from a Native American legend: the tears of Apache women, turned to stone. It is a gentler black obsidian, often suggested during times of grief.

The rare & sought-after types

Beyond the great classics there are far more confidential obsidians, prized by collectors. You will not find them everywhere, but they earn their place in a guide that claims to be complete.

• Fire obsidian, the most prized. Extremely fine layers of magnetite create iridescent flashes like opal or a butterfly's wing, in reds, golds and greens. It is found almost exclusively in Oregon.
• Midnight lace, fine, tightly contorted black ribbons that draw a lacework through the stone.
• Spiderweb obsidian, a network of pale veins streaking the stone like a web. Every block is a drawing of its own.
• Peacock velvet, or blue pearl, once polished it reveals lavender, green and violet ripples, like a peacock feather. It comes from Mexico.
• Pumpkin & peanut, two spherulitic varieties: the first leans towards orange, the second shows pale, shell-like patches.
• Tri-flow, three tones blended in a single block (black, red-brown, translucent), the record of several lava flows laid one over another.

Beware of fake coloured obsidian

This is the most important point in the guide. The transparent, brightly coloured "obsidians", electric blue, apple green, ruby red, aqua, sold all over the internet are almost always manufactured glass, not natural stone.

A few markers for recognising genuine obsidian:

• it often shows tiny bubbles or inclusions, and slight irregularities;
• it feels cool to the touch and warms up slowly;
• it breaks conchoidally, in curved arcs, never perfectly cleanly;
• imitation glass, by contrast, is too "perfect": even colour, regular transparency, suspiciously light in the hand.

If a price looks too good to be true, be wary: I help you place fair prices in my guide to obsidian price and value. Bear in mind, too, that this stone calls for a few precautions, as I explain in dangers and precautions.

The quick comparison table

So you can find your bearings at a glance, here is the essence of each type of obsidian:

Which type of obsidian should you choose?

It all depends on what you are after, an intention, or simply a reflection that speaks to you.

• For everyday protection: black obsidian, as a feng shui bracelet or a triple protection bracelet;
• for gentleness and intuition: the celestial eye;
• for balance and letting go: snowflake;
• for confidence and abundance: gold sheen obsidian;
• for vitality and grounding: mahogany;
• for the sheer beauty of the reflections: rainbow.

As for the piece itself, pick the format closest to your daily life: a bracelet for a discreet presence all day long, a pendant or a necklace to keep the stone near your heart, or a ring to have it in view. Men will find designs made with them in mind on my obsidian for men page, and do look at the jewellery size guide before ordering.

Nothing stops you combining the varieties either, or pairing obsidian with other stones: I set out the best matches in my guide to crystal pairings with obsidian, including the lovely obsidian and tiger eye duo. The triple protection bracelet is its finest illustration. And if meditation is your thing, all these varieties make valuable allies for root chakra work.

Cleansing & charging every obsidian

Whatever the variety, the care is the same.

Cleansing it

By smoke (sage, palo santo), with a brief pass under clear running water, or by resting it on a quartz cluster. Avoid salt and salt water, which can damage it over time.

Charging it

In moonlight (a full moon is ideal), on an amethyst geode, or in contact with the earth. Avoid prolonged exposure to the sun. I go through every step in my guides to cleaning your obsidian and to cleansing and charging it.

Frequently asked questions