Axinite

Item Description

Axinite is considered a rare collector's stone due to the fact that there are not many places in the world that produce gem quality material. Even when you find clean rough, it's often difficult to facet a stone because Axinite rarely forms in crystals that are thick enough for faceting, and the material has perfect cleavage, so it take a skilled hand to properly cut it. Because of this, to find an Axinite gem over 1 carat is very impressive. Axinite is actually hard enough that it can be worn in jewelry, though it is a bit brittle. In recent years, we were able to get our hands on an old stash of Axinite stones from Khaplu, Pakistan. I was able to purchase this gem from an old source who had some fine quality stones in their inventory. This area of Pakistan which produced this material has been dry for years. This particular stone is has beautiful orange gold hue with a slight pale yellow zoning, due to the fact that Axinite is pleochroic, and can show multiple colors at one. The cut on the stone is a "Cushion Brilliant" cut. Depending upon the light under which it's viewed, the stone can show various color flashes. It is difficult to find Axinite in clean stones, so inclusions are accepted by most collectors and dealers, and this stone is only very very slightly included, which is certainly above average for the material. A great rare gem for any collector of these type of stones.