Sphalerite

Item Description

Sphalerite from Colorado is not often seen in faceted gems. This particular stone shows a very distinctive green hue with a slight golden overtone which is arguably the most desirable shade from this locality. The stone is very slightly included, but this is common from this locality. Truth be told, most Sphalerite gems from this locality have some sort of inclusions and are rarely seen in totally eye clean gems. The cut on the stone is an "Oval Brilliant". You'd be hard-pressed to find many faceted Sphalerites from Colorado on the market, and the Big Four material is among the finest gem quality Sphalerite in the state. Keep in mind that this is a transparent sulfide species, which is quite rare as most sulfides (Pyrite, Galena, etc.) are completely opaque. This is a collector's gem, and not really suitable for jewelry, though I have seen some people mount Sphalerite stones into a pendant from time to time.