Red Beryl

Item Description

Red Beryls from the Wah Wah Mountains of Utah, the only location of significant production, have become another one of those 'holy grail' species for collectors and no more of quality are being found so they only go up in value over time as the world seemingly does not make more. This very fine miniature features a pair of red Beryl crystals in matrix, almost like twins. Note this is unusual in that they are so well embedded in the matrix, there is no doubt about their placement, as so many are found loose or wiggly in this soft rock matrix. They are 1.1 cm long, doubly-terminated, with good red color and and decent luster. Mostly translucent, there is a hint of gemminess within these hexagonal crystals. There is a little bit of wear near one termination, likely from the mining and processing, but it does little to detract from the aesthetics and allure of the piece. These are unique in the Beryl world, and more are not being mined now. This location was once, in the late 1990s, even mined by Tiffany's looking unsuccessfully for commercial quantities of Red Beryl gem rough for jewelry - but it was too rare to do economically. Red beryls have become ridiculously hard to get at a reasonable price as the supply has drained from the market (and they were never cheap to start with). From the extensive collection of Bob Reynolds, who cherished both minerals and fossils as he collected. Bob is a prolific author and has had several curating positions in museums. Valued $4000