Sphalerite (large unique stone) (cut by Brett Kosnar)

Item Description

Sphalerite is one of the few facettable/gem grade sulfides, and is truly considered a rare collector's gem. The material is fairly soft and brittle, and not terribly well-suited for jewelry. Additionally, Sphalerite has multiple cleavage planes, so it takes a skilled gem cutter to create a stone without it falling apart. Sphalerite (as a mineral) is found in thousands of mines typically in opaque examples, but gem material does exist from certain places. A case can be made that the finest and most famous GEM Sphalerites are those from what used to be called "Picos de Europa" / "Santander", but it now more accurately labeled as the Aliva Mine (Las Manforas Mine), Camaleño, Cantabria, Spain. This is a LARGE, impressive, richly colored Sphalerite with a beautiful mixture of yellow, gold, orange and fiery red hues inside. PLEASE NOTE: The stone is not as RED as it might appaer in the photo or video, there's more golden and orange hues when you hold it in your hands. The high refractive index of the material bounces the light around the gem. Now this isn't a traditional stone, but rather a polished crystal with a unique form. It's a unique collector's piece, and certainly stands out as a special example of this classic material. Yes, there are some eye visible inclusions, but it's almost impossible to find a completely CLEAN stone, especially in THIS size from this locality. The stone truly looks better in person than the photos / video might indicate. It's actually best viewed in sunlight or with backlighting. From what I have been told, there is very little of this material out on the market these days, and good gems are hard to find. If you collect rare gems or large stones, do not miss out on this beautiful, colorful gem as they are rarely seen in this size and quality on the market today.
Valued $5,862.50 retail ($35/carat)
The stone was cut by Brett Kosnar, who is a 4-time AGTA Spectrum Award winning gem cutter.