Corundum var: Sapphire (''Trapiche'')

Item Description

A gorgeous "Oval Cabochon" cut stone of the famous "Trapiche" Sapphire gems from Myanmar. From my research, the name "Trapiche" appears as early as 1879 when it was used Emile Bertrand used it to describe Emeralds from Colombia, but today it is used for gems like Ruby, Sapphire, Emerald, Beryl and even Tourmaline. The term comes from the name of a Spanish mill consisting of wooden spokes or rollers that were designed to extract the juice from fruit, including olives, dating back to the Middle Ages. The dark six-sided star shaped patterns seen inside the crystals (when viewed looking down the "c" axis) are similar to the actual spokes of a trapiche machine. These rays appear much like asterism, the only difference being that they are fixed and do not move. A Trapiche is the result of the hexagonal shape of the crystal, where the darker impurities interrupt the growth of the crystal and are pushed to the center of the crystal and then radiates out in the six directions of the corners of the crystal. This stone has an attractive silvery-blue color with excellent dark "legs" or "spokes" radiating from the center, creating a beautiful look. The stone weighs nearly 10 carats, which is significant for the material. Valued $731.25 retail.
From the collection of Bill ("Burma Bill") Larson of Fallbrook, California. Bill is a well-known gem and mineral dealer as well as a miner and worldwide mineral collector. Bill has 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 and stones from Myanmar (Burma). You can read his biography at https://mineralogicalrecord.com/biographies_labels/larsonwilliam-f/