Axinite

Item Description

Axinite is a rare gem due to the fact that it is rarely found in gem quality crystals which are thick enough to produce fine faceted stones. For the most part, the majority of Axinite crystals you'll find 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, so it takes a skilled cutter to create fine gems. This stone is a fantastic rich orange-cognac color gem with a "Brilliant Oval" cut. Axinite is pleochroic, so it can change colors when rotated in different directions, and this gem actually shows very slight clove purple flashes when its viewed at a certain angle. This stone is from Pakistan, but the area which produced this material has produced very little in recent years. To find a gem over 1 carat is very impressive, and any rare stone over this weight is considered "collector quality". It is difficult to find this material in clean stones, so inclusions are accepted by most collectors and dealers. This gem is only very very slightly included which certainly above average for Axinite. 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.