Spodumene (Var. Hiddenite)
stock #7FE-304
Shigar, Skardu District
Baltistan, Northern Areas,
Pakistan
9x 5.4x 2.5 CM (cabinet)
price: $1850
One of the best Pakistan green spodumene I have seen, The question has come up are these the natural colors? Some are clearly faked and fade very quickly. This piece has been in a collection for 4+ years and has held its color well,. The theory is that some may have been treated to intensify the color but this treatment is a short lived effect. There are some clearly natural spodumenes that have faded too, so this is not definative. The crystal is very gemmy, with deep color, is well terminated, has good dichroic effect (indicating it more likely a natural color) and displays very very well. The overall condition is excellent, the crystal is broken at the base where it was removed, but the rest is in fine shape. Since this is not from North Carolina, it is very affordable for one of these!
Diaspore
stock #7AE-189
Menderes
Yatagan-Mugla,
Turkey
6.3 x 3.4 x 1.4 (cabinet)
price: $425
A large for the specie (somewhat crude) single crystal that is doubly terminated, and has gem areas. This shows the dichroic nature of this mineral, and is reasonably complete. This piece comes from a find in the 1970's. Since then only a few finds have surfaced all of which are the more accicular form and usually twinned. Single crystals are much less common. Diaspore is being rediscovered as an exotic gem in the popular trade so cuttable crystals are now even more rare.
Forsterite var. Peridot
stock #7 FE-175
Suppart Valley
Kohnistan,
Pakistan
3.5x3x2.1 CM (small miniature)
price: $520
A much sharper than normal crystal of this uncommon material. Excellent color and with a very fine pyramidal termination, there are a few tiny chips than are not easy to see without carefull examination. There are not many places in the world where this mineral crystallizes well, Pakistan the only place to have produced much for decades and I have not seen any good new material for a few years.
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.
Topaz with hyalite and tourmailne
stock #7FE-104
Erongo mountain, Usdakos and Omaruru districts
Erongo region,
Namibia
7.1x4.8 CM (cabinet)
price: $950
A very different, older piece unlike any of the recents materials. A light blue-green gem crystal (the interior is nearly 100% top gem grade) with a complex lighly frosted termination has some hyalite (opal) coatings (FL strong green) that look like spots on the exterior. The outer zones of the crystal have bright green micro xls of tourmaline growing into it. The hyalite can be removed if desired but I think it adds a nice feel to the crystal as is.
A very fine Erongo piece diplayable 360degrees with no damage except at the point of attachment on the base which is not v isible from any normal angle.
This is a killer thumbnail with an incredible form showing a 3-way spinel twin (triplet?). Nice deep ruby color constructed like a textbook model. I am told this piece was published in Europe and used for a "whats new at the the St. Marie aux Mines show" but I have not found the publication yet. While we rarely offer thumbnails of this price range, this piece is very much a bargain for anyone who appreciates rare gem crystal morphology.
SOLD Fluorapatite on Albite
stock #SOLD 7 AE-366
La Marina Mine
Boyaca,
Colombia
7.4X4.5 CM (cabinet)
price: $500
Bright pink chain growth of lusterous apatites (2.8CM long) on a crystallized bed of albite set on a shale-like limestone matrix. These apatites came from a series of small pockets in 2004 and 2005 encountered at the famous emerald mine of La Marina. Few matrix pieces survived and very few crystals without major damage. A slight color change can be seen in different light sources. This piece also shows 2 different types of termination which is very unusual for this find. With 10x magnification I find 2 very tiny spots of edge damage, This piece displays very well with great color contrast and is strongly FL too!
