Vesuvianite (GEM!) (ex Charlie Key Collection)

Item Description

A fantastic thumbnail specimen from this world-famous locality. The Jeffrey Mine for many years was the source of some of the finest quality Vesuvianite crystals with arguably the most vivid colors seen for the species. This piece has a combination of the classic yellow-green crystals and the gorgeous purple Manganese-bearing Vesuvianites. The highlight of this specimen is the 5 mm main crystal flaring off the top which is razor-sharp, incredibly lustrous and 100% WATER CLEAR! Not only is the crystal the finest quality, but it shows a wonderful pleochroism as when viewed along the "a" axis, the color is a soft greenish-yellow, but when you look down the "c" axis, it shows a rich reddish-purple hue. A few smaller secondary Vesuvianites can be seen on the piece as well, and they are just as sharp, lustrous and transparent. The matrix is massive Vesuvianite with a mixture of greenish-yellow and purple hues. Although the crystals are not the largest from the locality, the quality is AS GOOD AS IT GETS. If you collect thumbnails or specifically minerals from Jeffrey, do not miss out on this beautiful piece with incredibly high quality crystals. These specimens are now quite difficult to find on the market as the Jeffrey Mine is now totally finished, and there will be no more of these classic Vesuvianite specimens. Ex Charlie Key personal collection. Charlie is arguably the most successful dealer of the second half of the 20th century, along with being the namesake for TWO mineral species (Keyite and Ludlockite).