Blossoming Renewal

This stone is capable of the most amazing finish that shines to a black luster resembling the black opal. Not surprisingly, its extremely fine finish and excellent durability and hardness make it highly sought after. Springstone is an exceptionally hard, dark serpentine stone. The local name was given due to its reputation during the carving process. One of the most famous 1st generation carvers, John Takawira, was said to have coined the name ‘springstone’ when he tried to carve the stone and it was so dense and strong that the chisel sprung off the stone, hence the name ‘springstone’.
Found in northern part of Zimbabwe, springstone is one of the hardest and darkest stones. It gets its name because of the deposits of iron found in it.
Springstone can often be found covered with a thick outer layer of reddish/brown oxidized iron which is inherent in its chemistry. This softer brown infusion can be used by artists to give a sculpture a beautiful two-tone effect, adding to its appeal. Springstone is rated between 5.0 and 7.0 on the Mohs Hardness Scale.