Axinite (rare)

Item Description

Axinite is a true collectors gem, because of the scarcity of facet grade material on the market, and the brittleness and cleavage of the material makes it difficult to cut, so only experienced gem cutters can produce fine stones. Axinite also rarely forms in crystals that are gemmy or thick enough for faceting, so you have to find a crystal that's not only clean enough, but deep enough to produce a good stone. To find an Axinite gem over 1 carat is very impressive. These particular stones from the contemporary finds in Pakistan are very rare considering that rough is extremely difficult to find and the Khaplu area has been dry for a few years now. Here we have an attractive stone with a beautiful rich golden brown 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 slight orange-red flash, but the light box under which it was photographed shows more of a dark cognac 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 very slightly included, which is certainly above average for the material. The gem shows a bit of trichroism as it does a slight change color when rotated in different directions. A great rare gem for any collector of these type of stones.