Unusual light violet termination on a deep green prism that sits on a shard of matrix. A few scattered crystals of clevelandite are on the tourmaline as well. The crystal is 7 CM long and the termination is complete with minor contacting, mostly on the back side.Displays well and a very good value for an unusual color combination.
Afghanite
stock #8 FE- 742
Sar-e-Sang District, Koksha Valley
Nuristan,
Afganistan
5 x 4 CM (miniature)
price: $165
A sharp, deep blue terminated Afghanite sits on the top of a calcite matrix (FL). The Afghanite crystal is 2 CM long and 1.6 CM wide, it is broken in the back but the presenting side is undamaged. There are two other broken crystal frangments in the matrix. A nice example and a well presented termination of this once uncommon mineral.
Tourmaline (elbaite)
stock #8 FE-743
Paprock, Konar
Nuristan,
Afganistan
4.6 x 3.5 CM (miniature)
price: $280
Attractive and sharp miniature presenting 2 terminated pale pink to clear (achroite) tourmaline posed esthetically on matrix. No damage is visible to the naked eye, a very tiny chip is found under 10X magnification. The bigger crystal is 3.1 CM long. A very good value for such a clean and pretty specimen.
A HUGE and impressive monster that is doubly terminated, top gem grade yellow triphane. Sharp, glassy lustre and damage free with only some tiny bits of matrix adhearing to the main prism which is over a foot long!. One end has the classic hackly / fibrous termination while the other shows a staggered pair of prismatic tips with some fine growth hillocks. This crystal like all fine gem spodumene is highly dichroic and shows an excellent orange -pink transition on the C axis. The piece has been in a private collection for several years and the color (unlike many) is quite stable. Good triphane has never been plentiful. This one seems to have been from the major find of 99-2000 and I have not seen much new material available over the past few years, and none as large and fine as this. I consider this a very fine display piece that is both reasonably priced and will likely have outstanding investment value
Kunzite (Spodumene) Large Gem crystal
stock #7FE-182
Mawi Pegmatite
Laghman Province,
Afganistan
25.2 CM X 3.8 CM X 3 CM thick (cabinet /museum)
price: $5500
An incredible specimen! A huge doubly terminated Gem crystal with outstanding color, in exceptional condition and form. This is a very, very fine crystal that is a full 10 inches long, and has top rich color rangeing from a pale lilac to a rich deep purple/ pink. Composed of several parrellel growths showing staggered terminations this piece has great visual impact and has no visible damage! Great value for this piece as it is nearly 100% cuttable gem, and it can be displayed several ways.
Elbaite Tourmaiine
stock #7 FE-082
Paroon Valley
Konar (Kunar) Province,
Afganistan
5.4x3.3 (small cabinet/ large miniature)
price: $975
A big and glassy crystal with a very dark blue green shaft becomes a lighter blue towords the top, grades to a water clear zone and ends with a thin pink-red cap. Great luster and in very good condition, with only very tiny
bits of edge wear that is not easy to find and a small inobtrusive chip to the back aside of the termination. While not distracting, this damage exists and makes the crystal much less expensive yet it looks like it cost far more.
A perfect, doubly terminated gem of the uncommon light blue to purple varient of Kunzite. Very dichroic, sharp and complexly crystallized, each end shows the jagged terminations perfectly. The luster is exceptional and this is a good example from this small find made about 4 years ago.
