Polished Selenite Sphere — Satin Translucence, Soft Glow, 95g — Field Find

THE FIND
A polished selenite sphere, 95g — smooth, translucent, with a satin-like sheen that scatters light in gentle waves rather than reflecting it sharply. The kind of object that reads as quietly luminous from across a room.

WHAT WE KNOW
Selenite is a variety of gypsum (calcium sulfate dihydrate, CaSO₂·2H₂O) — specifically the transparent to translucent crystalline form with a characteristic silky or satin luster. It is one of the softest display minerals (Mohs 2), which means it scratches easily and should be kept away from harder stones and abrasive surfaces. The sphere form maximizes the optical effect of the satin luster: the curved surface distributes the light-scattering quality evenly in all directions. This specimen weighs 95g. Handle with care; selenite is fragile and water-soluble — do not submerge or expose to moisture.

THE STORY
Selenite takes its name from Selene, the Greek goddess of the moon — a reference to its soft, moonlike glow. It forms in evaporite deposits where ancient seas or lakes evaporated and left behind mineral-rich sediments, and in hydrothermal veins. Large, perfectly transparent selenite crystals — some exceeding 10 meters in length — have been found in the Cave of the Crystals in Chihuahua, Mexico. The sphere in your hand is the same mineral, at a very different scale.

WHY WE CHOSE IT
The polish on this sphere is even and smooth, and the satin translucence is well-developed — the light-scattering quality that makes selenite worth displaying is clearly present. At 95g it sits well on a flat surface without a stand.

ABOUT THIS PIECE
Type: Polished selenite sphere (gypsum)
Weight: 95g
Locality: Not independently verified
Condition: Polished specimen — handle with care. Mohs hardness 2; scratches easily. Do not expose to water or moisture.
Quantity: 1 — one of a kind.