Rubellite Tourmaline (ex Marvin Rockey estate)

Item Description

Rubellite is the varietal name often given to any pink or pinkish-red Tourmaline gem or crystal from various worldwide localities. Tourmalines are incredibly popular around the world because they occur in some of the most vivid colors you'll see, and often will produce larger than average sized stones. This stone has a "Step Pear" cut gem with a beautiful fiery pink color. The stone is only very very slightly included and is a nice size gem that would make for a ring or a pendant. Brazil has produced fine quality Tourmaline gems for decades, and this stone is a good example of said material. It dates back at least 20 years, and possibly as far back as the 1970s. This stone, as with others we will be presenting here, is from the estate of former Phoenix area dealer Marvin Rockey. Rockey's Gems was a significant business in the early days of Arizona lapidary material, and he was a prominent dealer and buyer in the Arizona area of local lapidary and carving material from throughout the state, along with material from Mexican localities. This stone was kept back from the retail stock for its quality and beauty, in a tray of special gems, and was found in his estate (sold to us only recently). Today, these are not only rarely seen but of a highly desirable old quality, and sought after by collectors and gem / jewelry enthusiasts alike.