Sanidine (gem quality Feldspar) (large stone!)

Item Description

When it comes to Feldspar, the majority of what is found around the world is opaque. It's rare to find gem quality Feldspar in nature, and even when you do, typically the material is smaller, so if it's suitably for faceting, the stones are not often very big. The old classic locality at Itrongay, Madagascar was the source of some of the finest gem grade Feldspar crystals in history. For years, these crystals were labeled as "Orthoclase", but recent analysis has shown that these are actually some of the finest gem SANIDINES extant. Sanidine is a potassium Feldspar that is found in various localities around the world, but GEM quality material is scarce, especially in larger pieces. The best of these crystals are good sized for the species (especially in gem material), but the best aspect is that they are actually colorful as it's rare to find gem quality Feldspar with any color whatsoever is notable. This amazingly large stone is certainly noteworthy and is larger than the majority of the gem Feldspars I've seen from this area in terms of size, color and clarity. The stone is a very attractive yellow color, with nearly eye clean clarity and an "Oval Brilliant" cut. A really impressive collector quality gem from this historic Dana locality. Priced at $3,690.00 retail.