Andalusite rough and cut set

Item Description

Beautiful flashes of reddish-orange and golden-yellow color in this 1.46 carat oval cut brown andalusite gem from Sri Lanka. Andalusite hardness is 6.5-7.5. Quartz is 7. The crystal is andalusite variety chiastolite, which is andalusite containng cross-shaped inclusions of carbon. The poished end really shows the cross. The outer rind is oxidized from the embedded mica schist. Chiastolite of this quality is uncommon from the Inyo Mountains of Mono County. A very fine and uncommon rough and cut pair.