Sodalite Beads
Sodalite beads are the deep royal blue with white running through it — a quieter, denser blue than lapis, veined with calcite instead of flecked with pyrite, so a strand reads as marbled rather than sparkling. Smooth rounds show the veining best; faceted sodalite brightens the blue, and a matte finish turns it toward denim. Orange sodalite is the same mineral in a warm variety. It sits well against sterling and oxidized silver, and beside white pearl, moonstone, or clear quartz it is the color that anchors the piece.
Products: 27
Sodalite 8mm Round - 8-Inch
Sodalite is named for its sodium content and may be classified as a feldspathoid. Blue Sodalite is sometimes referred to as “poor man’s lapis” beca...
View full detailsSodalite 6mm Round - 8-Inch
Sodalite is named for its sodium content and may be classified as a feldspathoid. Blue Sodalite is sometimes referred to as “poor man’s lapis” beca...
View full detailsSodalite 4mm Round - 8-Inch
Sodalite is named for its sodium content and may be classified as a feldspathoid. Blue Sodalite is sometimes referred to as “poor man’s lapis” beca...
View full detailsSodalite 10mm Round - 8-Inch
Sodalite is named for its sodium content and may be classified as a feldspathoid. Blue Sodalite is sometimes referred to as “poor man’s lapis” beca...
View full detailsMATTE Sodalite 8mm Large Hole Rondelle 8-Inch
Sodalite Natural 6mm Round Large Hole Beads - 8 Inch
Sodalite is named for its sodium content and may be classified as a feldspathoid. Blue Sodalite is sometimes referred to as “poor man’s lapis” beca...
View full detailsSodalite 6mm Round AAA Grade - 15-16 Inch
Sodalite is named for its sodium content and may be classified as a feldspathoid. Blue Sodalite is sometimes referred to as “poor man’s lapis” beca...
View full detailsSodalite 4mm Faceted Round - 15-16 Inch
Sodalite is named for its sodium content and may be classified as a feldspathoid. Blue Sodalite is sometimes referred to as “poor man’s lapis” beca...
View full detailsSodalite 8mm Faceted Rondelle Large Hole 8-Inch
Sodalite is named for its sodium content and may be classified as a feldspathoid. Blue Sodalite is sometimes referred to as “poor man’s lapis” beca...
View full detailsSodalite 8mm Faceted Rondelle 8-Inch
Sodalite is named for its sodium content and may be classified as a feldspathoid. Blue Sodalite is sometimes referred to as “poor man’s lapis” beca...
View full detailsSodalite 8mm Faceted Round - 15-16 Inch
Sodalite is named for its sodium content and may be classified as a feldspathoid. Blue Sodalite is sometimes referred to as “poor man’s lapis” beca...
View full detailsSodalite 40mm Donut Pendant
Sodalite is named for its sodium content and may be classified as a feldspathoid. Blue Sodalite is sometimes referred to as “poor man’s lapis” beca...
View full detailsSodalite 10mm Faceted Round - 15-16 Inch
Sodalite is named for its sodium content and may be classified as a feldspathoid. Blue Sodalite is sometimes referred to as “poor man’s lapis” beca...
View full detailsSodalite 8mm Round AAA Grade 15-16 Inch
Sodalite is named for its sodium content and may be classified as a feldspathoid. Blue Sodalite is sometimes referred to as “poor man’s lapis” beca...
View full detailsBlue Hackmanite 6mm Round - 15-16 Inch
Discovered in Greenland in the late 1890's, hackmanite is named for Finnish geologist Victor Hackman. It is a rare occurrence to find gem-grade hac...
View full detailsSodalite 8mm Round 15-16 Inch
Sodalite is named for its sodium content and may be classified as a feldspathoid. Blue Sodalite is sometimes referred to as “poor man’s lapis” beca...
View full detailsSodalite 2x4mm Heishi - 15-16 Inch
Sodalite is named for its sodium content and may be classified as a feldspathoid. Blue Sodalite is sometimes referred to as “poor man’s lapis” beca...
View full detailsSodalite 6mm Star - 15-16 Inch
Sodalite is named for its sodium content and may be classified as a feldspathoid. Blue Sodalite is sometimes referred to as “poor man’s lapis” beca...
View full detailsSodalite 10mm Round 15-16 Inch
Sodalite is named for its sodium content and may be classified as a feldspathoid. Blue Sodalite is sometimes referred to as “poor man’s lapis” beca...
View full detailsSodalite 2x4mm Tube - 15-16 Inch
Sodalite is named for its sodium content and may be classified as a feldspathoid. Blue Sodalite is sometimes referred to as “poor man’s lapis” beca...
View full detailsSodalite 6x8-12mm Chip - 15-16 Inch
Sodalite is named for its sodium content and may be classified as a feldspathoid. Blue Sodalite is sometimes referred to as “poor man’s lapis” beca...
View full detailsSodalite 12mm Round - 15-16 Inch
Sodalite is named for its sodium content and may be classified as a feldspathoid. Blue Sodalite is sometimes referred to as “poor man’s lapis” beca...
View full detailsSnowflake Sodalite 1x2mm Square Rondelle - 15-16 Inch
Sodalite is named for its sodium content and may be classified as a feldspathoid. Blue Sodalite is sometimes referred to as “poor man’s lapis” beca...
View full detailsSodalite 8x10-9x13mm Side Drilled Pebble - 15-16 Inch
Sodalite is named for its sodium content and may be classified as a feldspathoid. Blue Sodalite is sometimes referred to as “poor man’s lapis” beca...
View full detailsOrange Sodalite 5x7-12x16mm Graduated Faceted Rondelle - 15-16 Inch
Orange Sodalite has veins of orange, white and gray within the primarily bright to deep blue or black stone. Sodalite is named for its sodium conte...
View full detailsSodalite 6mm Square Faceted - 15-16 Inch
Sodalite is named for its sodium content and may be classified as a feldspathoid. Blue Sodalite is sometimes referred to as “poor man’s lapis” beca...
View full detailsSodalite 8mm Star Cut Coin A Grade - 15-16 Inch
Sodalite is named for its sodium content and may be classified as a feldspathoid. Blue Sodalite is sometimes referred to as “poor man’s lapis” beca...
View full detailsAbout this stone
Frequently asked questions
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What's the difference between sodalite and lapis lazuli?
Sodalite is a single mineral — sodium aluminum silicate with chlorine — that produces a royal-blue stone with white calcite veining. Lapis lazuli is a rock composed of several minerals together, principally lazurite (the deep ultramarine blue), plus sodalite, calcite, and pyrite (the gold flecks). The two are related — sodalite is one of the minerals inside lapis — but visually distinct. Sodalite reads as a softer, more variegated blue; lapis reads as a deeper, more uniform ultramarine with gold pyrite flecks. The old trade nickname "poor man's lapis" reflects the price difference, not a substitution. -
Is sodalite dyed?
Usually not — the royal-blue color is intrinsic to the mineral, so blue sodalite is sold natural and labelled Natural. Dyeing shows up mainly on lower-grade or off-color material: bright, uniformly saturated, vein-free "sodalite" in candy-blue or electric shades is a dye signal. Orange sodalite is a natural variety in its own right; where a strand of it has been dyed, the title says so. Ask before buying if a strand doesn't specify. -
Where does sodalite come from?
Brazil and Namibia are the principal commercial sources for bead-grade sodalite. Bolivia, Canada (the Bancroft area of Ontario), and Russia also produce material. Most bead-grade rough is Brazilian; sodalite from other deposits is visually similar enough that polished beads are not reliably distinguishable by origin alone. Origin should be disclosed where known; ask before buying if a strand doesn't specify. -
How durable is sodalite for daily wear?
Mohs 5.5–6 — softer than quartz or agate, comparable to lapis and turquoise. Suitable for most jewelry applications including bracelets and necklaces; in rings, sodalite is wearable but benefits from protective settings or rotation with harder stones. Standard care: soft cloth with mild soap; avoid ultrasonic and steam cleaning; avoid household cleaners and strong solvents. The white calcite veining is softer than the blue sodalite itself and can dull faster than the field if subjected to abrasion. -
What sizes and cuts do sodalite beads come in?
Rounds carry the range — 3mm and 4mm accents, 6mm and 8mm everyday sizes, 10mm to 14mm statement rounds — smooth, faceted, star-cut, or matte, with A and AAA grades on the cleanest blue. Beyond rounds: faceted rondelles from 2x3mm to 10mm, 2x4mm heishi and tubes, table-cut cubes, squares, stars, coins, chips, nuggets and pebbles, points, drops, donut pendants, and cabochons. Orange sodalite, white sodalite, and snowflake sodalite are the variety strands; large-hole rounds and rondelles come on 8-inch strands.