Smoky Quartz (star) (rare)

Brazil
Gems, 5.12 ct, 10.11 mm
Start Time: 04/07/2011 7:00:00 pm (CDT)
End Time: 04/14/2011 7:00:00 pm (CDT)
Auction Closed

Item Description

Star gems are not terribly common, especially in Quartz, and even though I have seen cat's eye Quartz gems, they usually are included with another mineral to create the actual "eye". These stones are cut when thin, fibrous inclusions are are oriented inside of the Quartz crystal at the correct angle to properly show off the "legs" of the star. When these inclusions are numerous enough to make the stone translucent or opaque, they allow light to be reflected in such a way that a star floats across the top of the stone with movement. It is an amazing phenomenon that is only seen in a few gems around the world. The actual "legs" of the star in this stone are somewhat faint, but will show up under strong light. The actual star has 4 visible rays, but under very strong light, you might be able to see 6 rays. This gem has a smoky color, and is very gemmy internally, and is certainly one of the few that I have encountered. The stone has a "Round Cabochon" cut.

Did You Know We Offer Custom Bases?

Learn More