Smithsonite (cut by Robert Heath)

Item Description

Smithsonite is not typically a facet grade species, most of the time it's translucent, and not true "gem quality", so this stone is a great rarity as it is not only faceted with a custom "Mumble" cut, but it's from the famous Kelly Mine in New Mexico. This stone was cut by Robert Heath from a broken piece of Smithsonite that came out of an old collection. I've had Kelly Mine gems in the past, and they always disappear quickly due to the fact that even smaller stones have good color, and the demand for gemstones from the United States seems to be on the rise. It doesn't matter if it's Benitoite from California, Rhodochrosite from the Sweet Home Mine, Hiddenite from North Carolina, Sapphires from Montana, etc., people are buying material from the United States at a higher rate than any point in history. This gem has a beautiful, almost velvety soft blue color and silky internal clarity. It's a good sized stone, and the color is best seen under fluorescent lighting I've found. I will stress that the most important factor is that this is a FACETED gem of Smithsonite and not the typical cabochons we're used to seeing for this material. If you collect U.S. gems or just worldwide Smithsonites, this is a great chance to pick up this attractive stone for your collection for a good price.