Axinite (rare)

Item Description

Axinite gems are rare due to the fact that they are rarely found in gem quality crystals which are actually thick enough to produce fine faceted stones. Keep in mind that Axinite is fairly brittle, with good cleavage on the a{100} face, along with poor cleavage in a few other directions., so it's already difficult to cut without the added challenge of finding rough that's not wafer thin. Here we have a wonderful collector's stone showing an attractive rich brownish hue with slight reddish flashes when the stone is rotated in the light. The stone has a "Brilliant Oval" cut. This stone is from Khaplu, Pakistan, but very little has been found in recent years. It is difficult to find this material in clean stones, so inclusions are accepted by most collectors and dealers. This gem is only very slightly included, which is good for Axinite. It also shows a bit of trichroic color-change when rotated in different directions. 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.