Key properties
| Chemical formula | Keratin (fibrous structural protein) with traces of calcium and pigment |
| Crystal system | None (biological, non-crystalline) |
| Mohs hardness | 2.5 |
| Toughness | Fair |
| Refractive index | 1.560 |
| Optic character | Singly refractive (SR, isotropic appearance) |
| Specific gravity | 1.70-1.85 |
| Cleavage | None |
| Fracture | Uneven to splintery |
| Habit | Not applicable; hollow sheaths from the heads of cattle, buffalo and related species, worked into sheets and sections |
| Lustre | Resinous to dull; polish: Resinous to vitreous |
| UV fluorescence | Variable, not diagnostic |
| Pleochroism | None |
| Cause of colour | Natural translucent whitish to yellow, brown and near-black tones from organic pigments laid down in the keratin as the horn grew; dyed and bleached colours are man-made |
| Typical inclusions | Diagnostic structure: undulating, wavy fibrous banding running along the horn; pressed horn shows flow lines and mould seams. No canal holes (that is bone), no mottled pigment patches (that is tortoiseshell) |
| Stability | Poor to fair. Dries and cracks with age; bleaches gradually in strong light; burns readily |
| Heat sensitivity | High: softens with hot water or steam (historically pressed into moulds), scorches and burns with a burnt-hair odour |
| Care and cleaning | Warm soapy water only; never ultrasonic or steam. Keep away from heat, prolonged sun and chemicals; occasional light oiling helps prevent drying |
| Birthstones | None |
| Availability | Limited but steady supply of cattle, buffalo and sheep horn from the meat and leather industries; rhinoceros horn is prohibited worldwide |
| Recognition | Familiar from historic drinking horns, buttons, combs, lantern panes and ethnic jewellery; still used for beads, inlay and carved objects |
Varieties
Horn
| Colour | translucent whitish to yellow, amber, brown and almost black; dyed and bleached colours common |
| Transparency | semitransparent to opaque |
| Clarity type | Opaque to semitransparent, always fibrous |
| Phenomena | None |
| Appearance | Warm translucent brown to black material with sweeping, undulating fibrous bands; takes a soft resinous polish and feels light for its size |
| Trade names | cow horn • buffalo horn • ram/sheep horn • pressed horn (moulded from horn dust and shavings) • rhinoceros horn (historic; now prohibited) |
| Misnomers | stained horn sold as tortoiseshell (historic trade practice) • 'French horn' lantern material • dyed horn beads sold as amber or jet imitations |
| Typical sizes | Large pieces available: sheets and sections of 10 cm and much more from a full horn; pressed horn is unlimited in size |
| Cutting styles | Carvings, inlay, beads, cabochons, buttons, drinking horns, snuff bottles, knife handles; pressed horn moulded into complex shapes |
| Key separations | vs tortoiseshell: shell is mottled yellow-brown on dark with spherical pigment specks; horn is uniformly fibrous and banded. vs bone: bone shows dotted canals and is heavier (SG about 2.0 vs 1.70-1.85). vs plastic: plastic gives a chemical (not burnt-hair) hot-point smell, no fibrous structure, and mould seams on pressed imitations. vs jet: jet is amorphous, SG about 1.3, RI about 1.64-1.66 |
| Sources (localities) | Widespread: horn of domesticated cattle, buffalo, sheep and goats from slaughter by-product worldwide • historic carved rhinoceros horn (libation cups, 'rhino horn' beads) is CITES Appendix I and untradeable • note: deer 'horn' (antler) is actually bone, not horn |
| Availability | Available through specialist and ethnic-trade suppliers; consistent supply of Ethiopian/Indian buffalo horn beads and sheets |
| Market notes | Never trade in rhinoceros horn; confirm species for antique pieces. Disclose pressed/moulded horn and dyeing. An honest, inexpensive, by-product material with a good sustainability story |
| Care notes | Avoid heat, steam, hot cars and prolonged sunlight; remove before swimming and showering; wipe with a dry cloth and a trace of oil if it dulls |
| In short | Fibrous keratin horn, mainly from buffalo and cattle, is a light, warm-toned carving and bead material whose undulating banding and burnt-hair hot-point reaction identify it at once. |
| Size (ct) | USD per carat | Tier | As of |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.50–5.00 | $0.05 – $0.50 | bulk beads and components | 2026-10-26 |
Retail market survey, per carat unless noted. Ranges describe what commercial to fine stones trade at; exceptional stones and provenance premiums sit above them.
Sources
Data compiled and fact-checked against gemmological literature, October 2026 (JDMIS gem reference). Properties are ranges accepted in gemmological practice; individual stones vary.
See also
Gemstone reference entries: gem #132 · gem #208
Related materials: Corundum · Diamond · Opal · Quartz · Spinel · Topaz
Identification wizard · All 83 materials · Singapore gem labs