The Cost of Obsidian

Last Updated on March 5, 2024
Written by CPA Alec Pow | Content Reviewed by CFA Alexander Popinker

The Obsidian stone is an igneous rock or volcanic glass that is usually sold as a gemstone in the market.

This type of volcanic glass will usually form every time lava is released from inside the earth. As the lava starts cooling very fast, the microcrystalline particles inside of it will form incorrectly, which makes them turn into Obsidians.

There is no set amount of time for the creation of volcanic glass and this material will usually form above the ground. This is different from most gemstones that will form underground and will require millions of years to reach their final form.

This is why the Obsidian will actually look pretty different from most gemstones you’ve seen. This type of rock is a lot of people’s favorite especially due to its beauty and usefulness.

How Much Does Obsidian Cost?

A piece of obsidian will usually be priced between $2 and $100 on average, depending on the processing it needs to go through. This makes the Obsidian gemstones considerably less expensive than gold or silver.

You can get this type of stone either from online markets or from local gem stores. The quality of cutting and the level of polishing will also influence the final price of a particular Obsidian. Obviously, the more rare an Obsidian gemstone is, the more it will cost.

You should expect the biggest prices to be seen at auctions. If all you need is bulk unprocessed Obsidian, then you shouldn’t pay more than $5 to $15 per kg.

Is Obsidian cheap or expensive?

In the gemstone category, Obsidian is not seen as a cheap stone but it isn’t considered expensive either. The actual price of Obsidian gemstones is pretty much similar to the price of other crystals that are considered affordable, like Black Tourmaline, Agate, Amethyst, or Citrine.

It is considered a semi-precious stone and is usually the cheapest out of all the gemstones in its category. The fact that it is so affordable makes it so popular among gemstone enthusiasts.

Is Obsidian considered a rare stone?

Obsidian is pretty common in countries like Iceland, Brazil, Mexico, Japan, the United States, Ecuador, and Australia.

You might also like our articles about the cost of jade, pyrite, or other precious metals.

This is why this gemstone isn’t categorized as a rare stone. Obsidian is one of the black stones that can be mined in most parts of the world, especially due to its formation nature.

Is Obsidian considered a precious stone?

The short answer is no, Obsidian isn’t considered a precious stone. It is actually pretty cheap, although its metaphysical properties make it very desirable in the jewelry-making industry.

It is very famed due mostly to its protective nature and qualities. A lot of people use its properties to protect themselves from psychic attacks or harmful energy.

This stone is said to absorb any negative energy that surrounds you. The Obsidian stone is also used for its healing properties, as a stress buster, and to overcome any toxic emotions.

Is an Obsidian worth its price?

Seeing that Obsidian is pretty cheap, it will surely be worth its price. It will be a great addition to your jewelry collection. A big drawback for this particular stone is the fact that it is considerably less durable than other crystals from its category.

It glows pretty nicely and will work great as everyday wearable jewelry. Along with its aesthetic features, its metaphysical properties make it a real must-have for most people.

Known types of Obsidian with their cost

You probably didn’t know this but there are actually quite a few color variants for the Obsidion gemstones. The most popular ones are:

Black Obsidian cost

The Black Obsidian is the most well-known and easiest to find Obsidian type.

This type of volcanic glass was the original material for most sharp tools and items used by our ancestors.

You will usually be able to buy a black Obsidian of medium sizes for around $40.

Rainbow Obsidian cost

The rainbow type of Obsidian gemstone is considered one of the rarer types because you will find it less frequently than other types.

The rainbow Obsidian gemstone will be characterized by a radian metallic sheen. These are similar to characteristics noticed in other, more expensive metals like gold or silver.

Some online markets list a bigger rainbow Obsidian for about $50, while smaller pieces of the same type of gemstone will be priced at around $20.

Purple sheen Obsidian cost

The purple sheen Obsidian will be born when additional mineralization will take place in gas bubbles or pockets of the stone.

The active interaction between purple minerals is behind the creation of the purple look as opposed to the usual black look.

On online markets you can find purple sheed Obsidian stones of a small to medium size for about $40.

Snowflake Obsidian cost

As already stated above, the Obsidian stone isn’t considered very durable or chemically stable for that matter. The snowflake Obsidian comes to life due to exactly this chemical instability and the crystallization that occur in random places of a specimen during its creation.

The snowflake type of Obsidian can be identified by the greyish or whitish radial clusters that can be found on the surface of the gemstone.

You can find a 3 cm snowflake Obsidian on Etsy for about $5.

Mahogany Obsidian cost

The black and brown types of Obsidian will usually be combined during rock whorls.

This is how the mahogany type comes into existence. It pops up mainly due to this process. This means that the Mahogany Obsidian will have deep brown striations on a dark black surface. Mahogany is considered the earthiest type of Obsidian.

You will find Mahogany Obsidian at a cost of about $180 per kg.

Gold sheen Obsidian cost

The cost of the gold sheen type of Obsidian is pretty considerable, especially due to its association with gold, which is one of the most expensive metals.

According to some gemologists, this type of stone features some honey metal inclusions which is also how this stone gets its glow.

Some chemical changes on the surface of the rock will also cause it to get a pleasing visual effect.

Etsy also features gold sheen Obsidian stones with prices between $10 and $20 depending mostly on their size.

Silver sheen Obsidian cost

The silver sheen Obsidian stone features a similar effect as the gold sheen one, the only difference being its silver-colored inclusions. This stone will actually feature a more subdued metallic pattern.

Some people will claim that the silver sheen Obsidian contains actual silver elements inside of it, but this information is false.

While searching online, we found a big chunk of silver sheen Obsidian for about $30.

Double flow Obsidian cost

The double flow Obsidian is basically a result of a combination between two original flows of lava inside a single point.

You will find a combination of two colors on this gemstone that create a really attractive surface pattern.

The internet is full of Double flow Obsidian stones and a medium size one will cost around $90.

Pumpkin Obsidian cost

Experts call an Obsidian stone a pumpkin type when they notice a brown shade to it.

This type of stone isn’t all that expensive and smaller pieces can actually be found for around $10 on online markets.

Final words

If you want to get a nice Obsidian gemstone then you should avoid synthetic pieces, as those are made fully out of glass and will be worthless. Online markets will have these gemstones in all kinds of colors, including red, blue, green, and black.

Here are a few important differences between synthetic and natural Obsidian stones:

• Most synthetic Obsidians will come in similar shapes while original stones will come in random, uneven shapes.
• Most synthetic pieces will be clear and will feature no inclusions in them, just like glass, while natural pieces will not be very glossy and will feature some inclusions in its surface.
• The synthetic stones are made using heat, while natural gemstones will only go through extreme heats while in lava form.