Tourmaline (bi-colored) on Lepidolite (ex Gary Weaver Collection)

Item Description

A beautiful and desirable matrix specimen from the famous Pala District (no specific mine was given) featuring a gorgeous 3.1 cm long, bi-colored Tourmaline crystal sitting on a semi-spherical cluster of purple "Lepidolite" Mica matrix. Now it must be noted that Lepidolite is no longer a valid mineral species, and according to the scattered information we found, Lepidolite is defined as a mineral in the so-called Polylithionite-Trilithionite series, but everybody still uses the term Lepidolite when describing this specific kind of Mica. The Tourmaline crystal is mostly pink or orange-pink in color, and it's a very vivid glowing hue to be sure (especially for the size and thickness of the crystal), but you can also see a slim greenish colored zone on one end of the crystal for a nice touch. A few tiny accessory Tourmaline crystals can be seen on the piece as well.  The main crystal have a few thin fracture lines, but it's complete and un-repaired after looking at it closely with a loupe.  A really attractive and seldom seen specimen of this classic material from San Diego County. Priced in the inventory at $1,250. From the collection of Gary Weaver of Prescott, Arizona (1944-2019). Gary was an electrical engineer who worked for many years for Hughes Aircraft in California. After retiring to Prescott, Arizona in the early 2000s, Gary rekindled his childhood love of minerals, amassing a collection of roughly 2000 specimens focusing on localities in which he and his wife had lived or visited (Mexico, Peru and the western / southwestern United States). You can read Gary's obituary here https://www.dcourier.com/news/...