Grandidierite (exceptionally rare)

Item Description

Rare gems have become a fairly popular subcategory for collectors in recent years. This stone is one of the great and most highly sought after rarities in the gem world. When it comes to the rarest gemstones extant, Grandidierite is certainly in the upper ranks. You will see it mentioned often alongside gems like Painite, Phosphophyllite, Taaffeite, Poudretteite, Benitoite and Jeremejevite. It's one of those gems that you'll often see on the "Top 10 Rarest Gems in The World" lists. The gem dates back to 1902 when it was discovered by the French mineralogist, Alfred Lacroix, and named after French explorer and naturalist Alfred Grandidier (1836–1912), who wrote the great natural history book: "L'Histoire physique, naturelle et politique de Madagascar". Chemically, the species is a magnesium, iron, aluminum borosilicate and although it has been found in multiple localities around the world, it's still considered exceptionally rare, especially in GEM QUALITY material. Like many rare gems, it's the color that really draws one's attention. The best Grandidierite stones have a very captivating greenish-blue hue, similar to the top Euclase specimens from Colombia. Faceted stones of Grandidierite are seldom seen on the market in any size, and they are typically heavily included. I would say that the majority of the Grandidierites in the world weigh less than 1 carat, so in the rare instance that one sees a Grandidierite for sale, it's not unusual to encounter smaller gems. This particular stone is from the discovery of Grandidierite in Madagascar from around 2016. This "Cushion" cut gem has a bright blue-green hue, and it's certainly gem quality with only very slight inclusions. Keep in mind that the majority of faceted Grandidierites are less than 1/4 carat, so this stone is not small by the standards of this material If you collect rare gems, or have always wanted an example of this remarkable material, this is a perfect opportunity to snag a fine quality stone for a good price. I've seen these stones retailing for OVER $10,000 recently, for what it's worth.