Axinite (rare)

Item Description

Axinite falls into the category of rare collector's gems due to the fact that there are only a handful of places in the world that produce gem quality material. Another important aspect of what Axinite a rare gem is the fact that the crystals (especially GEM crystals) are often very thin, and it's difficult to cut stones of any substance from them. Additionally, the material is brittle with good cleavage, so it takes a skilled hand to cut fine stones. To find an Axinite gem over 1 carat is rare and impressive. This particular stone is from Khaplu, Pakistan and they're extremely difficult to find these days because the locality has been dry for years. This stone has a clove-purple hue, but due to the pleochroism of the material, you can also see a greenish-grey hue coming through when the stone is viewed at a certain angle. When you hold the stone in your hands, you can rotate it to get different colors or combinations of colors to come through. The stone has an "Oval Brilliant" cut. 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. Axinite is actually hard enough that it can be worn in jewelry, though it is a bit brittle as mentioned before. A great rare gem for any collector of these type of stones.