Snowflake Obsidian Crystal Guide: meaning, origin & properties
Learn what Snowflake Obsidian is, where ours comes from, traditional associations across cultures, and how to identify a real specimen, in our complete Snowflake Obsidian Crystal Guide.
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Both gemstones are my first experience with Snowflake Obsidian, and they're prettier than I expected. Actually, I think the 'snowflakes' look more like flowers!
Beth K. · Verified buyer · April 2026
These are AA-grade Snowflake Obsidian tumbled stones from Utah, United States, sold by the piece or by the pound. Snowflake Obsidian is volcanic glass dotted with gray cristobalite crystals that formed as the glass cooled. Each piece runs 0.75-1.25 inches at Mohs 5-5.5, fully natural and untreated. A favorite grounding stone for desks.
Snowflake Obsidian is part of the volcanic glass family.
This piece comes from Utah, United States.
Named after Obsius, a Roman who reportedly first found it in Ethiopia.
Snowflake obsidian has long been used in practices around staying connected to your body and the moment, working through difficult feelings at your own pace, and a sense of groundedness when things feel uncertain. It's traditionally linked to the root and crown chakras. If that resonates, hold one in your non-dominant hand for a few breaths when things feel shaky. There's no single right way to carry it.
These are traditional associations drawn from historical practice. This stone is not a substitute for medical or mental health care.
Offered as a starting point for your own practice.
Snowflake Obsidian sits at 5-5.5 on the Mohs scale, soft enough to scratch with a knife, so keep it dry and store it on its own. Keep chemical cleaners away from it; they can etch the surface.
Natural snowflake obsidian from Utah, United States. Untreated. The snowflakes are natural mineral formations.
You'll receive pieces from the same batch photographed, weighed to the amount you choose. Every piece passes our quality control and meets or exceeds what you see in the photos. Single specimens are listed separately and say so.
Each piece measures 0.75 to 1.25 inches on its longest side and weighs 5 to 15 grams. About 40 to 64 pieces per pound at this size, and each option shows its piece count.
Grades reflect visual quality within a batch. A is standard, with typical inclusions. AA shows stronger color, cleaner surfaces and tighter sizing. AAA is the top 10 to 15 percent of a batch. Every lot is inspected and graded by our team in Rockville, Maryland, not taken on the supplier’s word.
This batch is from Utah, United States. It came to us through a direct source, one of the sourcing models we publish and stand behind.
Every lot is inspected and graded by our expert team before it is listed, not taken on the supplier's word. AA on this listing means stronger color, cleaner surfaces and tighter sizing than the batch average. Pieces that miss the mark never reach the shop.
How We GradeWe work directly with the mine or workshop, with no intermediaries in between. The relationship is personal, pricing is transparent, and we can speak to each batch. We say what we know and where our tracing stops.
Our Sourcing StandardsEverything we sell is natural in origin: never synthetic, never dyed, never coated. Where a stone has been heated, irradiated or stabilized, which is common in the trade for some species, we say so on the listing. If a piece is not as described, return it within 90 days of delivery.
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