Quartz (var: Chalcedony) (''Gobi Agate'') (ex Jim Houran Collection)

Item Description

Gobi Agate or Gobi Desert Agate is a rare and beautiful material, only found in a few scattered localities in Mongolia, Inner Mongolia and China. The best specimens are called "Eye Agates", for obvious reason, and they feature concentric / banded circular growth patterns on the surface. It's important to stress that these pieces are NOT dyed nor are they tumbled to create their shape. They are completely natural, and found in wide range of colors and either spherical or oblong shapes. This particular specimen is unquestionably one of the best examples we've ever seen, and the accompanying label from Dr. Jim Houran (whose collection the piece once resided) states that it is, "Arguably one of the finest, if not the best, example of the type". The piece has a natural "egg" shape, which from what I understand is incredibly hard to find, and highly desirable for collectors. Add in the intense fiery orange-red hue along with several beautiful banded rings or "eyes" scattered over the piece, and you have something truly special and unique in the mineral / gem world. It's hard to call this piece solely a mineral specimen, or a piece of gem material, as it really occupies a unique niche all its own. If you collect Agates or if you're simply a fan of natural unique specimens, don't miss out on this fantastic piece from one of the most remote parts of the world. The piece GLOWS with color when backlit. Specimen weight is 30.15 grams.