History and belief
Larvikite is young in crystal tradition, but it has earned a strong place. Many use it for grounding and protection, and to find calm in dark times. Its blue shimmer reminds many of the northern lights over a winter sea.
For us, larvikite also carries a sense of home. It is made of Norwegian bedrock, and it may be the most Norwegian crystal you can own.
What many people say
Many carry larvikite when they need to stand firm, for example through unsettled periods. It is heavy, dark and calm in the hand.
What the stone really is
Larvikite is a rock rather than a mineral. It is a monzonite made mostly of feldspar, and it solidified from molten rock when the Oslo Rift formed 292 to 298 million years ago.
The blue play of light is called labradorescence. It comes from thin, alternating layers of two feldspars that separated as the rock cooled. Larvikite was chosen as Norway’s national rock in 2008. The light variety, Blue Pearl, is quarried in Tveidalen west of Larvik, and the dark Emerald Pearl in Tjølling. In 2022 larvikite made up 85 per cent of the export value of Norwegian natural stone.
Research has not found that crystals work beyond the placebo effect. Read about crystals and research