Axinite

Item Description

While Axinite is not necessarily a rare mineral, there are still only a handful of places in the world that produce gem quality material, and fine faceted stones are considered rare collector's gems. The problem from most Axinite crystals is that they are rarely gemmy or thick enough for faceting. To find an Axinite gem over 1 carat is very impressive. This stone is from Pakistan, which is rare enough considering that rough is extremely difficult to find. I should also point out that this area in Pakistan which produced this material has been dry for years. Here we have an attractive stone from Khaplu with a beautiful rich golden hue and a "Trillion Brilliant" cut. Depending upon the light under which it's viewed, the stone can show various color flashes (I have a halogen light on my desk that gives the stone a peach-golden-brown hue). I was able to purchase this gem from an old source who had some fine quality stones in their inventory. It is difficult to find Axinite in clean stones, so inclusions are accepted by most collectors and dealers. This stone is only very slightly included, which is certainly above average for the material. The gem shows trichroism as it does a slight change color when rotated in different directions. Axinite is actually hard enough that it can be worn in jewelry, though it is a bit brittle. A great rare gem for any collector of these type of stones.