Gold (fine crystals) (3.18 grams)

Item Description

From the find at the end of 2015, these were the big hit of the 2016 Tucson show. For years, collectors have admired the superb, beautiful crystallized skeletal Gold specimens from the state of Mato Grosso, Brazil, specifically those from the Alta Floresta district which is on the northern end, near the border with the state of Para. These NEW specimen come from the southwestern corner of Mato Grosso, near the Bolivian border at a locality called Serra do Caldeirao. The form is different from the Alta Floresta pieces, and frankly, the crystallization, color and luster are superior to virtually anything we've seen from Brazil. The first thing that I noticed about these Golds is the rich "yellow" gold color, probably from a small amount of copper content. This hue to me is such a pleasing color for Gold, and reminds me of some California Golds with their rich almost "orange" coloration. Secondly, the crystallization is out of this world. Most of the specimens from Serra do Caldeirao are skeletal in form, and show various crystal habits ranging from octahedrons to dodecahedrons to tetrahexaherons, etc. Lastly, the sheer brilliance of the luster on these pieces is top notch. Rarely does one see Gold specimens with such notable shimmering luster in addition to the fine crystallization and rich color. This piece features markedly sharp, very well-formed crystals (mostly dodecahedral in habit) which all seem to have a bit of skeletal "hoppering" and are arranged into somewhat parallel growth formations like tight arborescent branching tree limbs. Up close, the piece is gorgeous, and the best crystals become even more beautiful under magnification. Again, this one has the same hearty "yellow" golden color and almost radiant luster that one rarely finds in native Gold. For reference, there were dealers offering these fantastic specimen at a few years ago up to $1,000 per gram. This piece weighs 3.18 grams, and you can judge it on its own merits, but make no mistake, for the size and quality, this is some of the most impressive crystallized Gold in the world.