One of the top questions for those who are new to Moldavites is, “where is Moldavite
found?” To answer that, one must first learn about Tektites.
Tektites are silicate glass formed when meteorites hit the earth and are broken into
pieces. The heat as it enters the atmosphere, creates the air bubbles inside these
glasses, making them unique. In addition, they have extraterrestrial origin which cannot
be found here on earth alone.
So the search for them has begun since their first discovery. Today, tektites coming
from Central Europe alone are called Moldavites. It was in 1836 when F. Zippe used
the term Moldavites in his book, Bohemian Gems.
“Moldavites” were then used by Czech professors. Moldavites came from “Moldau”
which is the German name of the Vltava River in the Czech Republic. In Czech,
Moldavites are called “vltavín”.
Where to Find Moldavite
By 1960, many researchers became interested in tektites, particularly the Moldavites.
Though the majority were found in South Bohemia and Moravia, some pieces were later
found in the Lusatian region of Germany. Later on, it was also found in northern Austria
and a few near Cheb in western Bohemia.
Therefore, genuine Moldavites are only coming from Central Europe strewn fields.
Strewn fields are the areas where the meteorite remnants may have been strewn away
upon impact.
Though most of Moldavites have already been found, there are few pieces left in the
mine in the Czech Republic. Today, there is only one area where you could legally mine
Moldavites.
Moreover, It is so rare to find Moldavites now that there are less than 3 grams of
Moldavite found in a 1000 kilograms of sand.
Despite the low supply, the demand for Moldavite has continued to increased over the
years. Because of this, fakes are manufactured everywhere, so you should be careful
when it comes to spotting a fake Moldavite. Even going to the Czech Republic doesn’t
guarantee a genuine purchase, either.
To buy genuine Moldavites, one must do thorough research and be wise in
distinguishing a fake and a real one. Moreover, ensure that a certificate of authenticity is
available. Lastly, make sure to have a guaranteed deal of returning fakes should you
encounter one.
