Sunstone with Shiller

Item Description

Over the last few years, we've seen an increase in demand from customers for gemstones from the United States, and things like Benitoite, Red Beryl, Hiddenite, Montana Sapphire and even Oregon Sunstone seem to be on the rise across the board as few gems are available, and lots of people are buying them up. I marvel at Oregon Sunstone, and it honestly feel it does not get enough credit for what it is. First off, it's gem quality Feldspar, which is rare on a worldwide scale. Think of how much Feldspar there is in the world, and how little of it is actually transparent. Secondly, the Oregon material has the amazing distinction of showing beautiful colors, due to the presence of native copper. Sometimes the copper will manifest into a chromophore where it can turn the stones red or green, or it will appear in the form of what is called a "shiller" which is a shimmering reflection in the stone. This "Round" cut stone has a "champagne" hue with a very light amount of a pale peachy colored "shiller" effect that can be seen when the stone is rotated in the light. This stone is from the estate of former Phoenix area dealer Marvin Rockey. Rockey's Gems was a significant business in the early days of Arizona lapidary material, and he was a prominent dealer and buyer in the Arizona area of local lapidary and carving material from throughout the state, along with material from Mexican localities. This stone was kept back from the retail stock for its quality and beauty, in a tray of special gems, and was found in his estate (sold to us only recently). Today, these are not only rarely seen but of a highly desirable old quality, and sought after by collectors and gem / jewelry enthusiasts alike.