Formation and Origin of Moldavites

Moldavites or Moldavites and How They Formed

In this second article, we focus on how moldavites, scientifically known as moldavites, likely formed and why the most beautiful ones, chemically the purest, are found around the Vltava River.

Moldavites were once considered to be comet tears, which is a charming notion and, according to recent scientific research, might not be far from the truth. However, these celestial droplets have been known since the Stone Age; their popularity only surged in the recent past.

It's worth mentioning what modern chemistry identifies as the uniqueness and originality of the South Bohemian moldavite; although they can be found in other regions, only the purest chemically composed ones fell near the Czech national river.

Now, very briefly: it involves a natural amorphous (not crystalline) silicate and mainly molten glass, i.e., a tektite created by the impact of an extraterrestrial body. Thus, moldavites have undergone the fire and heat that endowed them with their unique beauty. Scientists, including geologists and astronomers, assert that the immense heat released at the meteorite's impact propelled molten glass at tremendous speeds, and the best droplets landed around the river we today call the Moldau in German—hence, moldavite.

I mention German because it is spoken in Bavaria, where the 24 km wide Ries Kessel crater formed 14.75 million years ago. And from there, at least a 1 km large meteorite hurled boiling glass droplets with minimal air bubbles and water, which adds to the quality and exceptionality of moldavites; their green color comes from the melt that momentarily mixed with the soil at the crater site and then the superheated atmosphere of the earth; certainly, the interstellar meteorite also left many traces in this glass.

It is good that as humans, we have started to take an interest in interstellar weather because many such bodies, often much larger and infinitely more dangerous, are flying around the Sun even today.

  
How the purely Czech moldavite came into the awareness of most people and when many, not only jewelry experts, fell for its exceptionally enchanting charm, we will look at in the next article.