Drusy Facts, Information and Description:
What is Drusy? . . .
We get asked that question every day.
Drusy literally means “covered by a large number of minute crystals”. The term Drusy is used in the jewelry industry to mean a gem that has this specific type of gem formation. The gem is cut to highlight mother nature's artwork and expose the Drusy in attractive arrangements that delight the eye. The term Drusy has often been misspelled as Druzy, Druse, or Druzie(s) they all refer to the same thing. Whether the crystals appear on the surface of the mineral or are recessed into a crevice the result is the same, a stunning gemstone.
The look has been described as the same as looking at a mass of sugar when it sparkles in the light.
How is Drusy Formed?
The dynamic processes of the earth's crust and internal layers that are referred to as plate tectonics are responsible for the formation of most colored gemstones that we see today. Millions of years ago as molten rock was being forced rapidly up to the surface, the heat and pressure changes caused gasses to expand and create cavities within solidifying rock. Later, as the mineral rich ground water moved through the rock it deposited new minerals into these cavities and as cooling began to occur the crystallization of these minerals formed on top of and inside the previously crystallized rock. This crystal formation is called Drusy.
Some of the minerals found in this form are microcrystalline aggregates known as Agates (many natural & dyed colors), Chrysocolla (Blues/Greens), Malachite (Green), Hematite (Rainbow Colors), Psilomelane (Black), Uvarovite (Green Garnet), Rainbow Pyrite, Carnelian and Cobalto Calcite (Pink).
Titanium Drusy is created using a high tech process on a natural piece of Drusy. That process is called "vapor deposition". Inside a vacuum chamber the metal titanium is vaporized, then mixed with oxygen and it then descends onto the Drusy crystals and bonds with the crystals' surface at a molecular level. It produces a metallic coating in spectacular shades of bright and deep blues, lush purples, brilliant greens that shimmer and change in a scintillating fashion.
Platinum Drusy is Drusy that has been coated with Platinum using the same vapor deposition process as described above only using platinum. It produces a stunning coating of silvery white on the crystals that resemble diamonds.
Gold Drusy is Drusy, usually with an agate host matrix underneath,that is coated using high karat gold (23K or 24K) that is deposited on the crystals using the same vapor deposition process.
Some Green & Pink, Brown & Blue Agate Drusy are coated with Silicone Dioxide producing a beautiful and feminine pink or blue shading that is also created by using the vapor deposition process. Some agates are dyed to achieve their vibrant coloring.
