Calcite Palmstones (Optical)

Optical Calcite Palmstones

Small optical Calcite palmstones, measuring 30-45MM each approximately. Optical Calcite is also known as 'Iceland Spar', although these pieces are from Mexico.

Optical Calcite has an unusual optical property known as birefringence, which splits light into two beams. When viewing text, etc, through a piece of this material, you may 'see double'. This optical property has led to some interesting uses throughout the years - it was possibly used by the Vikings as a form of sun compass on cloudy days, and it was used in World War 2 for precision gun sights.

Optical Calcite is a soft material and is extremely brittle, which means really, it isn't ideal for palmstones. If dropped, it will almost certainly break. If left in a pocket or bag with other objects, it will get scratched. If you want to carry these with you, consider finding a soft bag or carry pouch exclusively for the Calcite.

The pictures you see here are representative of the products and are usually not the exact item you will receive. Where various grades are available we do try to photograph each grade - but some photographs are still on their way!