Dioptase (classic material)

Item Description

The words Tsumeb and Dioptase are almost impossible to separate in the mineral world, as Tsumeb is arguably the greatest / most famous locality in the history of mineral collecting, and it produced undoubtedly the finest piece of Dioptase ever seen. The superior color and quality of the best Tsumeb Dioptase crystals just stands about Dioptase from any other mine. Dioptase is a beloved copper silicate mineral, celebrated for having one of the most desirable and well-known green hues in the world. Most of the Tsumeb Dioptase specimens were mined over 50 years ago, and good ones are not nearly as easy to find on the market these days. The crystals on this specimen exhibit a beautiful strong emerald green color (impossible to replicate in photos or a video) which made these specimens so famous, and they GLOW with color when backlit. The crystals measure up to about 1.8 cm and feature very sharp, highly lustrous, very well-formed faces with an excellent textbook trigonal shape, with a bit of associated Calcite The crystals themselves are in good condition overall and look beautiful up close. Minor roughness around the periphery, but it's largely in great shape.
Valued $4,500.