Imperial Topaz (ex Richard A. Kosnar Collection) (25.02 grams)

Item Description

A beautiful old time Imperial Topaz crystal dating back to the early 1970s from the world famous locality at Ouro Preto. This piece was acquired by Richard A. Kosnar circa 1973-1974 and remained in the Kosnar family collection until now. This beautiful gem crystal has the classic orange hue for which Imperial Topaz crystals are known. The smooth, lustrous faces along with the textbook orthorhombic habit and the classic pyramidal terminations make it a fine example of this attractive and highly sought after material. There is some small chipping along the edges of the prism, and there is a gouge on the front of the crystal about 1 cm below where the termination starts, but otherwise it's in great shape. When viewed down the "c" axis with good backlighting, it shows a fiery reddish-orange color. Valued at $2,500 retail. The demand for fine quality Imperial Topaz crystals (and gems) is on the rise among collectors, and I've noticed the prices seem to be on the rise at shows recently. Specimen weight is 25.02 grams