Sphalerite (gemmy iridescent crystals) (rare locale)

Item Description

While there are many localities for Sphalerite in the Smolyan Province of Bulgaria, we seldom see pieces from the Androvo Mine, especially those with any gemminess/transparency. Most people are probably familiar with the beautiful gemmy crystals from the Septemvri Mine (Deveti Septemvri Mine; 9th of September Mine) in Madan, but to find a piece like this from Androvo is certainly rare. This small cabinet piece is a solid crystallized group of Sphalerite featuring wonderful, sharp, lustrous, well-formed crystals on the front, which measure up to 2.3 cm, and no matrix. The surface of the actual crystals (not the cleaved areas) features a gorgeous "peacock"-like iridescence, which is not commonly seen from this locality, and when the piece is backlit, it glows with vivid golden, orange and yellow hues in certain areas. The far left corner actually shows a small amount of green, which is considered the rarest and most desirable hue for Bulgarian Sphalerites. The piece is not without damage, but there are several excellent crystal faces on the front. This one something that you won't find very often for sale on the market, especially because most Androvo Sphalerites are black and opaque, so don't miss out.