Axinite

Item Description

Axinite is rarely found in gem quality crystals that are thick enough to produce fine faceted stones. Most Axinite crystals are rather thin, and if they are transparent, they are still difficult to cut due to the fact that they are brittle and have good cleavage on the a{100} face, along with poor cleavage in a few other directions. This is a wonderful collector's stone. This is a fantastic rich orange-cognac color gem with a "Brilliant Cushion" cut. The area which produced this material is has produced little material in recent years. To find a gem over 1 carat is very impressive, and this gem is very close to that weight, so it's not considered small by the standards of the material. It is difficult to find this material in clean stones, so inclusions are accepted by most collectors and dealers. This gem is nearly eye clean, which is not often seen in Axinite stones. It also shows a bit of trichroic color-change when rotated in different directions. The color shifts from orange-brown to somewhat of a purplish-brown with slight greenish-yellow flashes when rotated in the light (best seen from the pavilion). Axinite is actually hard enough that it can be worn in jewelry, though it is a bit brittle, so I wouldn't recommend putting it in a ring, only a pendant.