Moldavite Terminology Guide
All the terms you encounter when buying or studying moldavite, clearly explained: from forms to localities, grades to characteristics. The complete glossary to guide you.
01General Terminology
Moldavite — A tektite formed 14.8 million years ago. The name derives from the German "Moldauthein" (Týn nad Vltavou), from where the first described specimens originated. Composed of 78–82% silica, with aluminum, iron, calcium, magnesium, and calcite oxides.
Vltavín — The Czech name for moldavite in the Czech Republic.
Tektite — Natural glass formed from terrestrial debris ejected during meteorite impacts.
Impact glass — Natural glass generated from debris ejected during meteorite impacts.
Splash form — Tektites formed when molten material is thrown into the air, usually tear-drop shaped.
Ries impact crater — Crater located 120 km east of Stuttgart, Germany. Outer diameter of 25 km, of the same age as moldavite: its formation is the origin of the stone.
02Forms and Processing
Raw or natural moldavite — In its original form, without external processing.
Faceted moldavite — Cut to have small, flat surfaces.
Polished moldavite — With one or more surfaces made smooth and shiny.
Carved moldavite — Carved according to a design (portrait, animal, etc.).
For how these forms originate, see the guide to forms and how it was formed.
03Localities
Locality — The field where a moldavite was found, such as Chlum or Besednice.
Southern Bohemia — A vast area in the Czech Republic (10,056 km²) with a high concentration of moldavite: 99% of the total is found here.
Besednice — Famous field exhausted for over a decade, known for "hedgehog" moldavite with long spines. Named after the village of the same name in Southern Bohemia.
Full map in places where moldavite is found.
04Classification
Grade A — Moldavite in perfect condition, without damage or with minimal scratches.
Museum grade — Usually equivalent to Grade A: perfect or near-perfect condition.
Collector quality — Grade A moldavite with better shape and surface sculpture.
Regular or Grade B — With more noticeable scratches, chips, or abrasions.
Cutting grade — More massive, smooth, and light green; often from localities like Radomilice.
Certificate of Authenticity — A document issued by a store to give confidence to the buyer. May include company name, measurements, weight, and a photo. It is not a laboratory report.
Learn more in the guide to grades and the importance of the certificate.
05Color
Bottle green — The most common shade of moldavite.
Poison green — A rare, lighter green.
Snowflake / angel feathers — Icy white surface from corrosion of alkaline sediments, typical of Brusná.
Bicolor — Moldavite with two distinct colors, formed from two molten stones that collided and merged.
All shades in the color guide.
06Damage, Sculpture, and Surface
Chips or scratches — Small damaged areas; appear as shiny, glassy spots.
Broken — Severe damage: the stone has broken into two or more parts.
Abrasion — Damage from erosion or scraping of the surface.
Sculpture — How the surface has been eroded over millennia: from very light to very deep.
Hedgehog — Famous deep sculpture with short or long spines.
Luster — From velvety/matte to high: depends on sediments (sand and gravel give more luster, clay makes it opaque).
07Internal Characteristics
Angel Chime — Moldavite with high internal tension that produces a tinkling sound when rubbed against another moldavite. Learn more.
Bubbles — Small air bubbles, spherical or elongated, under high pressure because formed at 20–40 km altitude.
Open / closed bubble — Open: no longer holds air (looks like a hole). Closed: retains the original air from 14.8 million years ago.
Lechatelierite — Pure fused quartz glass, visible as wavy lines in authentic polished or faceted moldavite.
Inclusions — Material inside the stone, such as parent rock or molten material.
08Forms
Primary forms — The most intact forms from the original drop: drops, discs, ellipsoids, spheres, hourglasses. Less than 1% of the total.
Partial primary forms — Broken but recognizable primary forms (e.g., half-moon from a disc, rod from a drop).
Fragments — Over 99% of moldavite: small pieces shattered on impact, often not traceable to their original form.
Drop, disc, ellipsoid, sphere — The primary forms derived from the original drop, distinguished by body and tail proportions.
Hourglass — The rarest: narrow center and thick ends, formed by rotating when molten.
Muong Nong — Layered tektites without internal stress, with more bubbles and frothy lechatelierite; without distinctive shape.
09Price and Lighting
Price per gram — Cost of moldavite per gram, used by professional sellers to evaluate it consistently. See the valuation guide.
Natural light — Photos taken in sunlight or indoors.
Backlight — Photos with light passing through the stone from behind.
Continue in the guide
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