Spinel (fine crystals) on marble

Item Description

The Spinel crystals from Mahenge are among the best examples of the species to be found in the last 20+ years in terms of size, color and quality. Many people are familiar with the pink to red Spinels from Mogok in Myanmar, and while both localities feature crystals with that saturated rose hue, they are rarely found on matrix like they are at Mahenge. This miniature sized piece was found in 2010 and features several fine quality, sharp, well-formed, euhedral octahedral crystals of strong rose-red colored Spinel measuring up to 2.6 cm on edge sitting on grey-white marble matrix. The piece displays well from several angles. The crystals are backlit when gemmy, but they have the added bonus of displaying a slightly "silky" quality, similar to the silk that one would see in a Ruby or Sapphire crystal. This ethereal "smokiness" inside the crystals combined with the excellent color and size makes it some of the best quality Spinel you will find. No real damage that I can find anywhere, but there are some areas of interrupted growth where the Spinel crystals grew up against the marble. For a final touch, the Spinels show an intense cherry-red fluorescence under UV light. Priced at $4,500 retail in our inventory.