Natural Moldavite | 2.85g | Nesmen Les

A fascinating 2.85g natural Moldavite specimen from Nesmen Les, Czech Republic, distinguished by its chunky sculptural form, rich green translucency and a clearly visible internal gas bubble.

This specimen has a compact, substantial shape with an uneven natural surface. Its exterior displays a combination of rounded depressions, irregular grooves, ridges and etched textures, giving the stone a rugged, three-dimensional appearance. Unlike specimens with long, sharp sculpting, this piece has a heavier, more robust character with broad textured surfaces and naturally irregular edges.

Under strong illumination, the stone reveals a beautiful range of deep forest, olive and vivid translucent green tones. The thicker areas appear considerably darker because more light is absorbed as it travels through the glass, while thinner sections and edges glow a brighter green. Its uneven surface also refracts and scatters the light, producing changing highlights and shadows across the specimen.

A particularly interesting feature is the visible internal bubble. Moldavite is a natural impact glass formed when a meteorite impact generated extreme heat and pressure, melting and ejecting terrestrial material. As the molten material travelled through the atmosphere and rapidly cooled, gases could become trapped within the glass, leaving bubbles and other internal structures. The visible bubble in this specimen provides an intriguing glimpse into the physical processes involved in Moldavite's formation.

Nesmen Les — les meaning “forest” in Czech — is one of the most highly prized Moldavite localities. It is known for producing remarkable specimens with spectacular natural etching and sculpting. Although its deposits are not considered completely depleted, material is difficult to mine and relatively few quality specimens emerge from this sought-after locality.

What is Moldavite & where is it from?

Moldavite is a rare tektite or meteoric glass, caused by an asteroid impact 15 million years ago. The intense, 10,000°C+ temperatures of the strike vapourised the asteroid, target rock and sand, flinging the molten substance high into the atmosphere.

From the impact zone in Germany some 300km away, it landed back to earth in what is now the Czech Republic and as it flew, it cooled and solidified into translucent green, glass-like droplets of various shapes and sizes.

It is said that only 1% of what had originally fallen is still intact to this day and the estimates of the total amount of Moldavite remaining is under 300 tonnes. In comparison with gold or diamonds, this makes Moldavite 1000x rarer.

99% of all Moldavite is found in a small area in the southern part of the Czech Republic. It can be found on the surface but the highly prized, well-preserved specimens are found up to 6 metres underground.

Moldavite NZ

Moldavite NZ is a small family business and collectors hub based in New Zealand. We are the only exclusive Moldavite dealer in the Southern Hemisphere. We source all of our Moldavite directly through our family and trusted contacts in the Czech Republic. All of our Moldavite and jewellery is guaranteed for authenticity by a 100% money-back guarantee.