Psilomelane (very rare and large) (ex Jim Houran Collection)

Item Description

For reference, the term Psilomelane is an outdated name for a group of black manganese oxide minerals, but doesn't refer to a specific species. With that said, I think it's one of the least likely candidates to find in a faceted stone, as the material can often be brittle and crumbly, so it's difficult to prevent it from falling apart when polishing. This particular stone is not only incredibly rare due to the physical nature of the material, but it's notably large, as it weighs in at over 17 carats! It certainly falls into more of an esoteric category, but if you collect rare or exotic stones, this is something that I can almost guarantee that you don't have in your collection. The stone has a beautiful rounded trillion cut, and the polish is impressive as the stone not only shows its metallic character, but there is also a slight iridescent sheen on the surface that can be seen best from the pavilion. A really unique and special stone for a collector looking to add a one-of-a-kind gem to their collection. This stone is accompanied by a printed gem report from The Gem Trader, validating its authenticity. From the collection of Dr. James "Jim" Houran, noted thumbnail mineral collector, gemstone collector and a speaker at our annual Dallas Mineral Symposium. Jim is the Managing Director of AETHOS Consulting Group. He's a 25-year veteran in applied psychological research and a published expert on peak performance, online testing and interpersonal and organizational compatibility. He has authored over 150 articles, and his award-winning work has been profiled by a myriad of media outlets and programs including the Discovery Channel, A&E, BBC, National Geographic, NBC’s Today Show, USA Today, New Scientist, Psychology Today and Forbes.com.