The Vosgienne… a purple stone, with some green stuff running through it. Different examples will have more or less of the ‘holographic’ green thing going on. This example here isn’t very holographic in that way. There is an almost holographic wavy pattern running through the purple part of the stone. It’s a mix of waves and clouds, and there is a notable sprinkling of sparkly something in there also.
Vosgienne hones superior finishing stones that are exceedingly capable of putting a very keen edge on a straight razor.
It is said that that these stones are from the Vosges region in eastern France. While there is very little hard data supporting the claim, I have no reason to doubt the story.
Some examples of stones sold as Vosgienne are graced with greenish inclusions that I have also seen in some of the red La Lune hones. I feel that the Vosgienne is a slate, but a Lune always feel a little different to me. I suppose that both stones may have quarried at the same location, but from different depths and/or veins. I am only guessing here.
LLyn Melynlyn hones, known as ‘Yellow Lake’ stones, are often purple and sometimes they also have a green inclusion. Past the coloring though, there are no other similarities or any reasons to try and confuse them.
Vermont slate has also been seen with similar green inclusions. They are visually closer to a Vosgienne than the Yellow Lake hones. But the similarity ends with the coloring and the inclusion.
I have seen many variants of stone referred to as being a ‘Vosgienne’.
The typical variation that I am comfortable referring to as a ‘Vos’ has the following tells.
The color is, predominantly, a reddish purple.
They are slates, look for foliation and slaty cleavage.
An almost holographic cloud/wave pattern runs through stone.
There can be green inclusions that may or may not have a holographic look.
They are very fine grained and very capable of making exceedingly sharp edges.
