{"product_id":"four-gemstone-shapes-epidote","title":"Four Gemstone Shapes - Epidote","description":"\u003cp\u003eA set of four polished epidote pieces from India, carved into the four shapes that turn up most often in crystal collections: heart, sphere, obelisk and pyramid. Each is a study in deep moss-green flecked with lighter mineral deposits, with the kind of earthy patterning that makes epidote unmistakable once you've seen it. Made for people who want a small geometric collection in a single stone rather than one large specimen.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003ch3\u003eWhat you'll notice\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe colour runs from near-black forest green to lighter olive, with pale crystalline flecks scattered through the matrix like lichen on bark.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEach shape shows the stone differently: the sphere catches the light evenly, the pyramid concentrates the colour at the apex, the obelisk reveals vertical striations, and the heart softens the angularity.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe polish is high but not glassy, so the stone keeps a slightly waxy lustre rather than a mirror finish.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThey sit well together on a shelf, a desk or beside a meditation cushion, offering four facets of the same material in a small footprint.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e \u003ch3\u003eEpidote: a metamorphic green\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEpidote is a calcium aluminium iron silicate that forms during the metamorphism of basalt and other iron-rich rocks, typically where hot fluids have altered the original mineral structure under pressure. Its name comes from the Greek \u003cem\u003eepidosis\u003c\/em\u003e, meaning 'addition', because one side of the crystal is always longer than the other. The green comes from iron, and the lighter inclusions are often quartz, feldspar or calcite caught in the matrix as the stone formed.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003ch3\u003eFour classic shapes, one stone\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEach piece has been cut and polished to a standard lapidary form. The heart is palm-sized and gently domed; the sphere is near-round and sits on a flat base; the obelisk tapers to a blunt point; the pyramid has four equal faces meeting at the top. The shapes themselves have no geological significance but are the four most-requested cuts in modern crystal work, each offering a different way to hold or look at the stone.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003ch3\u003eWhere epidote sits in the earth\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEpidote forms in metamorphic environments, particularly in regions where volcanic rock has been subjected to low- to medium-grade metamorphism. It is commonly found in skarns, greenschist facies and hydrothermally altered zones. This set is sourced from India, where epidote occurs in association with quartz, garnet and actinolite in the Deccan Traps and Himalayan foothills.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003ch3\u003eHow to care for it\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEpidote has a Mohs hardness of six to seven, so it resists scratching from everyday contact but will mark if knocked against harder materials. Wipe it with a soft dry cloth. Store the pieces separately if you carry them, as the pyramid's edges can chip the sphere's polish.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003ch3\u003eWhat's in the set\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFour polished epidote pieces: one heart, one sphere, one obelisk and one pyramid, each cut from a single piece of stone. The shapes vary slightly in size, as epidote's natural structure dictates the proportions the lapidary can achieve, but together they form a balanced set.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003ch3\u003eA considered gift\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt suits someone building a crystal collection by shape rather than by variety, or anyone drawn to the quieter, earthier stones that don't shout for attention. The set also works as a small study in how cutting and polishing reveal different qualities in the same mineral.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003ch3\u003eCommon questions\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWill the colours match exactly across the four pieces?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\nNo. Epidote's colour varies naturally within a single deposit, so one piece may lean darker or show more pale inclusions than another. That variation is part of the stone's character, not a flaw.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCan I use these in water?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\nEpidote is stable in water for short periods, but prolonged soaking can dull the polish and allow mineral deposits to form on the surface. If you use them in ritual washing, dry them thoroughly afterwards.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhy these four shapes?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\nHeart, sphere, obelisk and pyramid are the four most-requested cuts in crystal work. They're not geologically significant but have become standard forms because they suit display, handling and contemplative practice.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"SHAMTAM","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":53971436568890,"sku":"RTRG-05","price":22.95,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0756\/8307\/0266\/files\/four-gemstone-shapes-epidote-cover.png?v=1787983737","url":"https:\/\/shamtam.com\/products\/four-gemstone-shapes-epidote","provider":"SHAMTAM","version":"1.0","type":"link"}