Smithsonite (excellent color)

Item Description

Smithsonite is one of the most diverse minerals in the world in terms of color. It is found in virtually every shade of the rainbow. The species is rarely found in gem quality material for faceting, so it is often cut into cabochons. Some of the most colorful Smithsonite in the world is the beautiful material from Choix, Mexico. The rich hues seen in these specimens produces some truly eye-catching gems. This particular stone has an incredibly well-saturated rich green-blue hue that I would say is comparable to the finest color seen from the famous Kelly Mine near Magdalena, New Mexico. The color is consistent throughout the stone and almost has a "jelly"-like quality similar to Opal or Gem Silica. There is a slight internal silkiness when the stone is backlit, but it only helps to amplify the color in reflected light. A fantastic example of this classic material. Only the top 1% of stones from Choix have this incredibly saturated and desirable color.