Spinel on Calcite & Vesusvianite

Item Description

This striking equant, sharp black spinel crystal is pristine, measuring 3.5 x 3.3 x 3.0 cm, and is beautifully terminated. It aesthetically rests on a starkly contrasting matrix of pink calcite and vesuvianite crystal sections. It has a rich "satiny" luster, characteristic of pocket-growth crystals that have never been covered by other rock, or calcite infill which has to be removed with acid. This locality historically produced spinels of this caliber, but I had never seen one of such size and in any case they came out 20 years and more ago. This new find at the same old locale has provided us a small new supply of these spinel classics. What is nice, though, is that the overall quality for this combination of size and crystal habit of spinel has not been surpassed in the meantime - they stand as important spinels, not just as interesting locality classics, in other words.The multitude of lustrous, sharp crystal faces make for a fantastic 360-degree specimen.