significant large Rubellite Tourmaline (Meieran Coll.)

Item Description

This specimen of classic "siberite," or Russian Rubellite, has the rich color that has made them famous for hundreds of years, since the time of the Tsars. It is a gorgeous and geometric cluster, with the rich color. There are bigger, smaller, gemmier, and some with matrix - and yet, this has a balance to the size that puts it at a fairly high level of play because of the shape and composition. It is NOT too big, not too dark, not too matrixy, and actually has just the right amount of matrix accent. Many of the new finds from modern mining here lacked the color, or were (in this size) clusters of small crystals or just tips of broken big singles. This one, however, is simply an elegant "sculpture" of parallel grown crystals that work well together to create a whole, in this size range, that is as balanced as we can ask for and still has the classic look of a large Russian tourmaline (but again, without being too large or too expensive). The muscovite is beautiful, sparkly, and there is just enough for a contrast. This came out in the period around 2013-2018 with modern mining that depleted the area. It has been in the Gene Meieran collection for the last 4-5 years. While he has bigger ones, this was, to my eye, more aesthetic. It was valued at $25,000. 335 grams (just under a pound in weight).