Moldavite and Its Cosmic Cousins: A Guide to Tektites

The short answer: Tektites are natural glasses formed when a meteorite impact melts the Earth's surface and throws the molten material into the air. Moldavite is the green tektite of Central Europe. Its cousins include the black tektites of the Australasian strewn field, which includes australites found in southern Australia, as well as tektites from North America and West Africa.

What makes a tektite?

A tektite forms in three stages. A meteorite strikes the Earth with enormous force. The rock at the surface melts and is thrown high into the air. The molten droplets cool into glass as they fly, landing across a wide area called a strewn field.

The four main tektite strewn fields

• Central European: moldavite, formed around 15 million years ago
• Australasian: the largest and youngest, formed less than a million years ago and spread across Southeast Asia and Australia
• North American: tektites found in Texas and Georgia in the United States
• Ivory Coast: tektites found in West Africa

Australia's own tektites

Australites are tektites from the Australasian strewn field, found mostly across southern Australia. Many have beautiful aerodynamic shapes, such as buttons, discs and teardrops, formed as they travelled through the atmosphere. They are usually black or very dark brown, showing a soft brown only when held to strong light.

Australia is also home to Darwin glass, a related impact glass found in western Tasmania. It is not a true tektite, but it formed in a similar way and ranges from green to black.

What makes moldavite different?

• Its colour. Moldavite is the only well-known tektite with a translucent green colour. Most others are black or dark brown.
• Its surface. Millions of years in the soil etched moldavite into its famous sculpted forms.
• Its age. At around 15 million years old, it is much older than the Australasian tektites.

Tektites in crystal traditions

Because they were born from cosmic impacts, tektites are often associated with transformation, connection to the stars and expanded awareness. Moldavite, with its heart-green colour, is the most famous of them all, and is often called the stone of transformation.

Curious about how moldavite formed? Read the story of the Ries impact.

Meet the most famous tektite. Explore our moldavite collection. Every piece comes with a certificate of authenticity.

Guiding your journey back to your truest self.