Star Ruby (rare locality)

Item Description

The area around Franklin, North Carolina has been a source of some well-known Ruby (and Sapphire) crystals for many years, and while I've seen several polished stones from the area, this particular gem is a fantastic star Ruby, not just a simple cabochon. Corundum (the actual species for Ruby and Sapphire) comes in virtually every color of the rainbow, but there is more to Rubies and Sapphires than simply faceted stones. I think most people have at least heard of "Star" gems, and the most commonly known examples are either Star Rubes or Star Sapphires. The phenomenon that creates the "stars" in these gems is called asterism, and it occurs when these stones are polished into cabochons and oriented perpendicular to the "C" axis in a manner that reflects tiny silk-like inclusions inside. These inclusions bend light entering the stone and create the six-legged star-like pattern (in some gems you'll see four-legged star, but Rubies and Sapphires always have six legs). This six-rayed white star appears in bright lighting and the quality is judged by sharpness of star, symmetry of the rays, and the body color. This is a wonderful Star Ruby gem with a rich purple-red hue, and when it's exposed to a focused light source (like a small torch or a camera light), the stone shows very sharp and complete "legs". The consistency is important in this material as you don't want any breaks in the legs of the star. Classic material from this famous Ruby producing area.
From the collection of Jim Houran. The stone comes with an old postcard showing people sluicing for Rubies near Franklin.