Sugilite is also known as Royal Lavulite (Luvulite) and Royal Azel and is a very RARE, pink to purple cyclosilicate mineral with a very complex chemical formula. Sugilite crystallizes in the hexagonal system with prismatic crystals but, the crystals are rarely found and if they are, the form is usually massive.

Sugilite was first described in 1944 by the Japanese petrologist, Ken-ichi Sugi for an occurrence on Iwagi Islet in Japan and sometimes may be found in a similar environment in Canada.

However, the Wessels mine in northern Cape Province of South Africa is the main source of Sugilite today and it is mined there from a strata-bound manganese deposit.

The manganese is what gives Sugilite its purple color and the best, Gem grade Sugilite is a bright magenta color that is sometimes very translucent....this is called 'gem' or 'gel' Sugilite.  Sugilite may also contain various shades of gray, blue or even red but, the most popular and rarest color is the magenta shades of purple. When there is the rare, blue mineral 'Richterite' present it is also considered very gemmy and high end.

Sugilite is a by-product of the manganese and most of it is crushed and lost during the extraction process for the manganese however, the miners have been  put on notice to watch for sections of Sugilite in the ore.

The majority of the time, any cabochon cut from Sugilite rough material will have some 'stress fractures' that may be evident in close-up photos of the stones, even if they are not visible in person. If every lapidary waited to find Sugilite rough without fractures present, then there would be no Sugilite cabochons available for sale.