Hackmanite (rare)

Item Description

This is one of only a handful of faceted Hackmanite gems that we've had to offer from Myanmar in the auctions in recent years. It's possible we won't see any more of these gems for a while, as the mining in Mogok has been shut down due to civil unrest and the pandemic of the last few years. Additionally the mineral market in Mogok has been abandoned, so nothing is available for sale. These Hackmanite stones were amazingly difficult to find years ago, and much rarer than their Afghani counterparts. Hackmanite is a varietal of Sodalite, which in itself is a very durable stone and that's why it is so popular among dealers and collectors. Hackmanite is often tenebrescent which is the process by which a mineral changes daylight color after being exposed to UV Light. This stone has a grey-blue color naturally, but it fluoresces a light yellowish-pink under LW and light yellow under SW light. After exposure to UV light, the stone with turn a dark PURPLE color and then will return to its original grey-blue color after being exposed to prolonged daylight. This process is 100% repeatable and in no way hurts the stone. This gem has a "Cushion" cut and is translucent for all intents and purposes. This material is retailing for HIGH numbers now across the board, and you simply can't get your hands of the Burmese material. I saw a cabochon cut stone (not a faceted stone) offered at the Tucson Show this year for $800 per carat for reference, though it was larger and a bit better quality than this gem.