Dioptase with Calcite (rare locality)

Item Description

Anybody can buy a dioptase today from plentiful finds in Africa, but try to find a good and pretty Arizona specimen! From the Christmas mine in Arizona comes this dazzling and important Dioptase and Calcite piece. It has unusually high luster and consists of complex, scintillating crystals of Dioptase with almost uniform, 1 mm in size. These are interspersed with contrasting white to colorless-transparent Calcite crystals. Most pieces from this mine have micro-Dioptase crystals coating the matrix often without associated species or equally minute Calcite. The brilliant Dioptase crystals on this small cabinet piece are alternately intergrown with the starkly contrasting Calcite and these Calcites are rather large and prominent for this Christmas Mine association ranging from 1.5 to 7 mm in size! This is a choice piece for the locality for richness, intense color, contrast and aesthetics. It's also accompanied by a custom engraved acrylic base. Ex. Tom Hales collection with label. Later, in the Alex Neufeld Collection. It comes with a lucite base already made, included for no charge.