Identification guide · Tektites
How to Identify Moldavite
Moldavite is usually forest green and olive green with a vitreous luster and is translucent. It has a Mohs hardness of 5.5. It is about as hard as window glass: a knife barely marks it, while a steel file (Mohs 6.5) will. Its streak is white. It is most often confused with Feldspar, Quartz, and Labradorite; the tests below separate them.
Moldavite identification checklist
| Color | Forest Green, Olive Green | Look at a clean, dry surface in daylight. Color zoning, banding or spots are as diagnostic as the hue. |
|---|---|---|
| Luster | Vitreous | Fresh surfaces shine like glass; a dull surface usually means weathering, so chip or wet a corner. |
| Transparency | Translucent | Hold a thin edge up to a bright light and note whether light passes through. |
| Mohs hardness | 5.5 | It is about as hard as window glass: a knife barely marks it, while a steel file (Mohs 6.5) will. |
| Streak | White | Drag a corner across unglazed porcelain (the back of a bathroom tile) and check the powder color. |
| Cleavage | None | |
| Fracture | Conchoidal | Broken surfaces show smooth, curved, shell-like scoops. |
| Specific gravity | 2.4 | Ordinary rock-like heft (specific gravity about 2.4), similar to quartz. |
| Crystal system | Amorphous |
Extra tests for Moldavite
Glass check. Moldavite shares a glassy luster and conchoidal fracture with man-made glass. Glass sits near Mohs 5.5 and often contains round gas bubbles, so a hardness test and a hand lens separate them.
Moldavite look-alikes and how to tell them apart
Both sit near Mohs 5.5, so a scratch test alone will not separate them. Lean on luster, streak and heft instead. Moldavite vs Feldspar →
Quartz is harder (Mohs 7) than Moldavite (Mohs 5.5), so Quartz will scratch Moldavite and not the other way round. It is about as hard as window glass: a knife barely marks it, while a steel file (Mohs 6.5) will. Moldavite vs Quartz →
Both sit near Mohs 5.5, so a scratch test alone will not separate them. Lean on luster, streak and heft instead. Moldavite vs Labradorite →
Both sit near Mohs 5.5, so a scratch test alone will not separate them. Lean on luster, streak and heft instead.
Is my Moldavite real?
- Hardness: real Moldavite sits at Mohs 5.5. Glass imitations are about 5.5, so use a steel file and a known reference mineral rather than glass alone.
- Bubbles: round gas bubbles under a 10x loupe mean glass or resin, never a natural stone.
- Color: dyed material concentrates color in cracks and pores; look for pigment collecting at the edges of fractures.
- Temperature: natural crystals feel cool and take longer to warm in your hand than plastic or resin.
Field tips
- Check whether the specimen's color and texture match typical Moldavite examples.
- Use hardness, streak, luster, grain size, and locality together; no single trait is enough for every specimen.
Moldavite identification FAQ
How can you tell if a rock is Moldavite?
Check the color (forest green and olive green), the vitreous luster, a Mohs hardness of 5.5 and a white streak. Photographing it with the StoneSnap app gives a match in seconds.
What is the hardness of Moldavite?
Moldavite has a Mohs hardness of 5.5. It is about as hard as window glass: a knife barely marks it, while a steel file (Mohs 6.5) will.
What is the difference between Moldavite and Feldspar?
Moldavite (Mohs 5.5, vitreous luster) and Feldspar (Mohs 6–6.5, vitreous to pearly luster) look alike, but hardness, streak and heft usually separate them. See the full Moldavite vs Feldspar comparison for a side-by-side table.
How do I know if my Moldavite is real?
Real Moldavite matches the hardness listed above, shows no round gas bubbles under magnification, and does not concentrate dye in cracks. Glass and resin fakes fail at least one of those checks.
Is Moldavite worth anything?
Entry-level Moldavite specimens sell for around $50, typical collector pieces about $200, and premium examples $2000 or more depending on size, quality and locality.
What color is Moldavite?
Moldavite is most often forest green and olive green. Color varies with impurities and locality, so confirm with hardness and luster rather than color alone.
