Väyrynenite is one of the rarest gemstones on Earth—a delicate, salmon-hued phosphate mineral composed of manganese, beryllium, and phosphate with the formula MnBe(PO₄)(OH,F). It was first discovered in 1954 in Viitaniemi, Finland, and named after esteemed Finnish mineralogist Heikki Allan Väyrynen.
 |
| ©️The Arkenstone |
True to its exclusivity, well-formed crystals are exceedingly rare. The mineral usually appears as fine-grained aggregates, with the few high-quality crystals displaying vertical striations and forming as thin, prismatic crystals. Its colour range spans from pastel to vivid salmon pink, sometimes shading into orange—earning it the nickname from dealers as the "Envy of Padparadscha Sapphires".
Though small quantities can be found in Finland, Sweden, Portugal, Kazakhstan, Nigeria, and Madagascar, the most desirable facet-grade specimens originate almost exclusively from Northern Afghanistan, Northern Pakistan’s Rondu District, and the Upper Shigar Valley in Pakistan-administered Kashmir.
With a Mohs hardness of 5 to 5.5, similar to apatite and diopside, väyrynenite is better suited for pendants or earrings, though rare stones are sometimes set in rings. Despite its beauty, eye-clean stones are incredibly rare, and most cut stones are tiny, often not exceeding 0.15–0.2 carats. Any gem over 0.5 carat almost certainly hails from Pakistan.
There are no known treatments for väyrynenite, making each gem a completely natural treasure. As noted in GemGuide (May/June 2018) by Alexey A. Lagutenkov, väyrynenite’s gem-quality presence remains exceedingly rare and sought-after, a gem whose brilliance lies not just in colour—but in its elusiveness.
