Dioptase on Calcite

Item Description

The Dioptase crystals from the Kaokoveld are among the finest examples of the species ever found. The combination of big crystals with top color, luster and gemminess make them a favorite among collectors. The fact that material is still coming out makes them more readily available on the market. But make no mistake, like the Tsumeb before, once the deposits are mined out, the prices will sky-rocket for good specimens. This piece is a superb small cabinet display specimen hosts a few very sharp, rather lustrous, intense emerald green trigonal crystals of Dioptase measuring up to a whopping 2.3 cm nestled on a layer of translucent cream colored Calcite on host rock matrix. The main crystal is considerably big for the species and the locality, and it's also doubly-terminated to boot with no damage that I can see with the naked eye. Some of the smaller crystals show brilliant flashes of internal gemminess when backlit to really illustrate the quality of these crystals. I can see a few small nicks on a couple of the smaller secondary crystals, but you have to look closely to see them. I love that this specimen displays beautifully on its own without the aid of a base or clay. Wonderful arrangement and aesthetics with fine quality crystals of one of the most beloved species in the mineral world. Priced in the inventory at $4,500.