Rhodochrosite (cut by Brett Kosnar)

Item Description

Here we have a fantastic, good sized and fiery colored Rhodochrosite from the famed N'Chwaning Mines in the Kalahari Manganese Field in South Africa. These mines have given collectors some impressive mineral Rhodochrosite specimens which date back about 50 years, and are highly sought after by collectors. Certain specimens are gemmy enough (and decent sized) so that they can yield gorgeous gemstones like this one. We rarely have any South African Rhodos to offer in the auctions, and this wonderful stone would make a great addition to any gem suite. This "Flat Half Dome Cabochon" cut stone has excellent color with red hues, showing some pinkish and orange overtones, which glows when backlit. You can see that the piece has some banding in addition to the gemmy areas, and we've included a photo of the rough from which the stone was cut to show off how to formed. Please note: This auction is for the GEMSTONE only, the picture of the rough is there only for reference to show the origin of the gem. Rhodochrosite might be the most popular mineral on the market for collectors and gemstone collectors are paying big money now to get good stones for their collections.
The gem was cut by Brett Kosnar, who is a 4-time AGTA Spectrum Award winning gem cutter.
High end retail value on this gem is $2,241.05