“For ages, the Inuit of Greenland have understood the power of tugtupite. Legend has it that lovers can cause the stone to glow fiery red just from the heat of their romance. The brilliance  and vibrant colors announce the intensity of their love.”

Tugtupite is a deep red gemstone, often translucent, and always brightly fluorescent.  It is known worldwide for its beauty under ultraviolet light.  When exposed to UV light (or sunlight) the color deepens, sometimes to an almost grape color.  Tugtupite is among the rarest of gemstones, only found in remote areas of Greenland - and always in small quantities.  Always in demand by collectors, the finest specimens are almost always reserved for jewelry.

Jewel Stones of Greenland has been the premier manufacturer of tugtupite jewelry in Greenland for over 8 years.  We supply all the major jewelry stores in Greenland, as well as the Duty-Free shops at all the major airports, and fine jewelry stores in Europe.  Only the highest quality rough is used to make these rare gemstones, polished to a mirror finish using proprietary techniques developed over our years of experience with these gemstones - unsurpassed by any other Greenland gem maker.  JSG spends the summer months prospecting for deep gem quality tugtupite rough - reserving the small quantities found for unparallel cabochons and gem rough.

Our inventory varies, depending on the quality and quantity of gem rough found the previous summer.  We can supply rough slabs, finished cabochons, and mounted jewelry.  If you have a special need, custom cut, etc. please do not hesitate to ask -  All jewelry items are shipped directly from Greenland, .

JSG also manufactures jewelry from other rare Greenland gemstones such as: Nuummite, Greenlandite, Ruby, Sodalite, Kakortokite, and Laboradite.  We attend several yearly gem shows - Munich (Germany), Reykjavik (Iceland), and Nuuk (Greenland).  Occasionally we also attend the Tucson Gem and Mineral show as supplies warrant.

Tugtupite was discovered in 1957 close to the town of Narsaq and to-date has only been found in two other areas - Mt. St. Hilaire (Canada) and the Kola Peninsula (Russia).  The entire occurrence of tugtupite at Kvanefjeld is only 5 x 25 meters with the tugtupite scattered in irregular hydrothermal veins up to 50cm wide.  Often tons of rocks must be excavated to find only a single small vein. Only tugtupite from Greenland is deeply colored and valued as a gemstone (Mohs 6.5).

Tugtupite varies in color from white, pink, to red and crimson.  Some blue/white specimens have been recorded.  The fluorescence is a brilliant red under short-wave ultraviolet light, and a salmon-red under longwave UV. After exposure to UV (or long periods of sunlight) the red coloration is enhanced (tenebrescense). Tugtupite occurs as irregular forms in whitish albite veins with gray-green lujavrite rock. It can be found throughout the Ilimaussaq Complex, but the specimens from Kvanefjeld are the most sought after - as both jewelry rough and mineral specimens.  It is most often found associated with albite, analcime, beryllite, aegirine, neptunite, and pyrochlore.  Most often it is massive, very few well-developed crystals are found.