Beryl var: Red Beryl

Item Description

The famed Red Beryl crystals from Utah are the finest examples of this rare variety of Beryl ever found. The only other place in the world where Red Beryl has been confirmed is a few small finds in New Mexico, none of which match the quality of the Utah crystals. The classic intense carmine/gooseberry color of these crystals, combined with their notable rarity, makes them incredibly valuable and sought after on the market. Please note that these crystals were originally thought to be a new species, and were named Bixbite (after the famous Utah field collector / dealer Maynard Bixby), but that name is no longer valid, and they should be labeled as Red Beryl (a variety of Beryl). The color is mostly influenced by the presence of manganese in the crystals. This piece is a classic example of these well-known Beryls featuring a sharp, lustrous, prismatic hexagonal crystal measuring 1.4 cm, sitting on white rhyolite matrix. The narrow end of the crystal features a small basal termination, but the wider end is contacted, and not terminated. When backlit, the crystal shows decent internal translucency. A few smaller partial Red Beryl crystals can be seen on the piece as well. Matrix specimens of Red Beryl are much harder to find than loose singles (the crystals can easily "pop" out of the matrix when they're found), so a piece like this is valued in the $2,000 range retail.
From the collection of Bill ("Burma Bill") Larson of Fallbrook, California. Bill is a well-known gem and mineral dealer (Pala International) as well as a miner and collector. Bill traveled the world for decades in search of fine gems and minerals, and was directly involved in the in-person acquisition and importation of superb specimens from many important gem-producing localities. You can read his biography at https://mineralogicalrecord.com/biographies_labels/larsonwilliam-f/