RARE COLLECTOR GEMSTONES

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GEMS-060 - Wulfenite - SOLD
Tsumeb, Namibia
thumbnail, 12.45 x 6.53 mm ; 6.63 carats

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Wulfenite is one of the rarest gems to obtain in the world, especially considering that it is not a terribly rare mineral. Typically most collectors see stones from Arizona or Morocco but when stones from Tsumeb are available, they are snatched up immediately. This particular stone is only very slightly included and has a fantastic light golden color with absolutely amazing dispersion. You can see by the photos that I've taken through the pavillion of the stone that it has dozens of multi-color rainbow flashes throughout the gem. It looks like a Cassiterite or a Cerussite. The gem has an Elongated Cushion cut. To find a gem like this over 6 carats is truly unbelievable. You may not see another stone like this from Tsumeb for a long time. One simply does not encounter a Wulfenite of this color, clarity, size and beauty from ANY locality. Tsumeb collectors would flip to own this gem I think. This stone was not easy to photograph and it does look better in person than the photos would indicate. I will say that the stone looks best under halogen lighting if you have it available. It almost looks synthetic under halogen lamps. A superb Tsumeb Wulfenite gem, worthy of any rare stone collection.

GEMS-059 - Willemite - SOLD
Tsumeb, Namibia
thumbnail, 11.07 x 8.65 mm ; 4.89 carats

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Willemite is not often seen in facetted gems, and stones of this size are rare for sure. There are only a handful of localities in the world where facet grade Willemite occurs, and the majority of this material is from Franklin, New Jersey. Tsumeb is known for gem quality Willemites, but crystals (or crystal aggregates) are not often large enough to cut stones over 1-2 carats. This particular gem is a superb Willemite for Tsumeb. It has a beautiful golden-peach color which is not often seen from Tsumeb. The stone is very well cut as Willemite is difficult to polish. It is slightly included, and most gems this size are rarely eye clean. I have seen plenty of blue and green Willemite from Tsumeb, but it would be a real treat to find a specimen to match the color of this stone and create an epic "rough and cut" set. As far as rarity is concerned, this stone is up there for sure, and the rough from Tsumeb is nearly impossible to obtain these days.

GEMS-058 - Manganotantalite (outstanding stone) - SOLD
Afghanistan
thumbnail, 15.78 x 10.88 mm ; 8.35 carats

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This stone for all intents and purposes, is one of the finest facetted Manganotantalites in the world. For years, the only two regions that produced gem grade Manganotantalite were Minas Gerais, Brazil and Alto Ligonha, Mozambique. In recent years, we have seen some spectacular Manganotantalite coming out of Afghanistan, and the color is as rich and vibrant as any other locality. This gem is most definitely the finest cut stone of this material that I've seen from Afghanistan. Because of the density of this material, gems are often quite heavy, even in smaller stones. This stone has an intense blood red color, and there is no hint of brown to be seen, like many of the stones from Brazil and Mozambique. . The stone has a Cut Corner Triangle cut or Shield cut depending on how you view it. The stone is only very very slightly included. I would consider to be a world class gem and in the highest ranks of ultra-rare collector quality gems. This stone is virtually impossible to replace as Afghanistan truly has not produced much in the way of Manganotantalite rough in recent years.

GEMS-057 - Scolecite - SOLD
India
thumbnail, 21.58 x 7.15 mm ; 4.8 carats

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Scolecite from India [db_pics/new09/rlkg057a.JPG]

Scolecite from India [db_pics/new09/rlkg057c.JPG]

Scolecite is one of the few facettable Zeolites out there, and the Indian specimens have provided us with some of the largest cut gems of Scolecite in the world. Typically, Scolecite is not seen in gems much over 2 carats, and because the material is not very dense, larger size stones do not often weigh a great deal. With that said, this is one of the largest Scolecite gems I have seen or handled. Scolecite crystals are always thin and prismatic so the majority of these stones are cut into elongated Emerald cuts, like this stone. This gem is slightly included and is superb quality for this material. These stones are highly valued for their rarity among collectors, and though they are not suited for jewelry, stones like this belong in the best of rare stone collections. It is a superb facetted Zeolite of considerable size, especially since the stone is thicker than the majority of all Scolecite CRYSTALS extant.

GEMS-056 - Cassiterite - SOLD
China
thumbnail, 13.95 x 9.25 mm ; 13.2 carats

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Cassiterite is only found in facet grade material from a handful of localities around the world. Prior to the new find of gem Casstierite in China, the majority of the world's facet rough came from the Viloco mine in Bolivia. This new Chinese material is proving to rival and even surpass the Bolivian material in some respects. These new Chinese stones are not only colorless and brown, but some of them show beautiful golden hues. This stone is a relatively large gem for Cassiterite and because of the sheer density of the material, the weight is much more than most other stones in this size range. The color of the stone is a straw yellow hue (perhaps a bit lighter than the photos would indicate). The stone is amazingly clean for a gem this size as it is only very very slightly included. One of the other great aspects of Cassiterite is the high refractive index of the material which allows for superior light return and sometimes color flash. You can see the color flash in the photo I took viewing through the pavillion of the gem. Overall, I think this gem is a world class Cassiterite and would not be easy to replace.

GEMS-055 - Apatite (Large and neon) - SOLD
Madagascar
thumbnail, 26.24 x 17.02 mm ; 33.6 carats

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This is simply the largest stone of this material that I've ever handled. Apatite is usually found in somber color gems and stones up to 10 carats are not common. This material from Madagascar is most often seen in stones about 1-2 carats in weight, and this stone blows them out of the water. First off, you never see gems with this color from any locality in this size. The intensity of the blue in this gem is as rich and saturated as any neon Apatite I've seen from Madagascar. The color in person has a slight green overtone that does not show up in the photos, but it is still very rich. Secondly, the clarity of this gem is superb as it is only very very slightly included, which is more than forgivable in a stone this size. An amazingly impressive museum quality stone with outstanding color and sheer weight.

GEMS-054 - Rhodochrosite - SOLD
N'Chwaning Mines, Kalahari Manganese Field, South Africa
thumbnail, 16.14 x 9.11 mm ; 5.01 carats

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These are some of the most recognizable Rhodochrosites in the world for their distinct and vivid flame red color. The N'Chwaning mines along with the Sweet Home mine are the two premier localities for Rhodochrosite in the world. Even though the Sweet Home mine has produced some rather large gems, N'Chwaning rarely forms crystals large enough to cut gems this size. This stone is one of the finest gems from this locality that I have had in my hands in a long time. The color is as intense as Rhodo gets from N'Chwaning. The gem has a Marquise cut, and is only very very slightly included, which is to be expected in a gem this size. A truly impressive collector quality Rhodo gem that would make for a superb "rough and cut" set with a specimen from this mine.

GEMS-097 - Elbaite Tourmaline - SOLD
Paraiba, Brazil
thumbnail, 6.94 x 5.03 mm ; 0.75 carats

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Elbaite Tourmaline from Paraiba, Brazil [db_pics/new09/RLKG097a.JPG]

Elbaite Tourmaline from Paraiba, Brazil [db_pics/new09/RLKG097b.JPG]

Let me start by saying that there is a difference between �Paraiba Tourmaline� and Tourmaline from Paraiba. True �Paraiba Tourmaline� has a slight copper content which causes the most electric blue, green and even purple hues seen in the gem world. This stone came to us in a collection labeled as being a �Paraiba Tourmaline�, but I cannot say for certain that this is a genuine copper-bearing Tourmaline, even though it has a very intense electric blue color. The difference in value between a copper-bearing gem and a non copper-bearing gem is astronomical, and we are looking to err on the side of caution as this stone has not been tested to verify whether or not it is a copper-bearing gem. It is still a dazzling Tourmaline stone with very very slight inclusions and a lovely �Pear� cut.

GEMS-096 - Elbaite Tourmaline (var: �Rubellite�) - SOLD
Nigeria
thumbnail, 10.69 x 7.62 mm ; 2.81 carats

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Elbaite Tourmaline (var: �Rubellite�) from Nigeria [db_pics/new09/RLKG096a.JPG]

Elbaite Tourmaline (var: �Rubellite�) from Nigeria [db_pics/new09/RLKG096b.JPG]

Here is a great gem from what was for a short time one of the most productive localities for Rubellite Tourmaline in the world! The stone is a good size, very very slightly included, rich bright pink "Oval Brilliant" cut gem. This is a bright, but saturated and attractive gem. This stone is from the finds of Rubellite Tourmaline that came out of Nigeria about 10 years ago. There are few stones available from this locality these days, and I am told that the region which produced these spectacular gems is essentially finished. These gems sell for $300 per carat in the high retail market.

GEMS-092 - Sapphire - SOLD
Sri Lanka
thumbnail, 8.34 x 6.22 mm ; 2.33 carats

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Sapphire from Sri Lanka [db_pics/new09/RLKG092a.JPG]

Sapphire from Sri Lanka [db_pics/new09/RLKG092b.JPG]

Sapphire is one of those gems that comes in virtually every color of the rainbow. With that said, the most recognizable and popular color of Sapphires by far is blue. I've seen literally every shade of blue known to man exhibited in Sapphires, and they are still some of the most admired, durable and highly sought after gems on the planet. This stone has a strong royal blue color face up, and looks beautiful in both sunlight and incandescent light. The stone is very slightly included and has a standard "Step Oval" cut. It is a very attractive example of this storied material.

GEMS-091 - Star Sapphire - SOLD
Sri Lanka
thumbnail, 10.9 x 8.6 mm ; 6.78 carats

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Star Sapphire from Sri Lanka [db_pics/new09/RLKG091a.JPG]

Star Sapphire from Sri Lanka [db_pics/new09/RLKG091b.JPG]

This is a beautiful gemstone. Star Sapphires are among the most unique and desirable of all the Sapphire varieties. These stones are cut when thin, fibrous inclusions inside of the Sapphire crystal are oriented at the correct angle to properly show off the "legs" of the star. When these inclusions are numerous enough to make the stone translucent or opaque, they allow light to be reflected in such a way that a star floats� across the top of the dome of the gem when it is rotated in the light. It is an amazing phenomenon that is only seen in a few gems around the world. The actual "legs" of the star in this stone are amazingly sharp, with virtually no breaks and excellent consistency throughout. The stone also exhibits a light lavender blue color, and is a fantastic example of a classic Sri Lankan Star Sapphire.

GEMS-089 - Uvarovite - SOLD
Outokumpu, Finland
thumbnail, 6.4 x 4.5 mm ;0.44 carats

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Uvarovite is one of the most elusive species of Garnet out there. There are only a few localities around the world that produce fine quality crystals, are rarely are they gemmy or large enough to facet gems of any significance. I want to point out that this is indeed genuine Uvarovite, as there have been many non-Uvarovites on the market when they are actually another species, i.e., Grossular, Pyrope, etc. This Freeform� cut gem shows a very very dark emerald green color and a few visible inclusions, but this is a very good sized stone of this remarkably rare material. It is amazing to consider the size of the crystal from which this stone was cut.

GEMS-088 - Moonstone - SOLD
Orissa, India
thumbnail, 8.0 mm ; 1.85 carats

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Moonstone from Orissa, India [db_pics/new09/RLKG088a.JPG]

Moonstone from Orissa, India [db_pics/new09/RLKG088b.JPG]

Moonstone (also called rainbow moonstone) is a soft milky variety of Plagioclase Feldspar. One of the most highly sought after varieties of this material are those with a blue sheen. Moonstone shows a silvery or bluish iridescence that is caused by the intergrowth of two different types of Feldspar with different refractive indexes. Moonstone was very popular with the Romans, who thought it was formed out of moonlight, also used in Roman jewelry since 100 AD. In India moonstone is considered a sacred stone to this day. This stone is a superb quality pale golden color Round� cut gem with a beautiful blue sheen. You do not see stones with such amazing clarity (virtually eye clean) in this size from India very often. A great Moonstone for any collector.

GEMS-086 - Friedelite - SOLD
Franklin, New Jersey, USA
thumbnail, 7.3 x 7.3 mm ; 0.92 carats

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Friedelite from Franklin, New Jersey, USA [db_pics/new09/RLKG086a.JPG]

Friedelite from Franklin, New Jersey, USA [db_pics/new09/RLKG086b.JPG]

With the hundreds of species found at Franklin and Sterling Hill, there are only a few that are worthy to yield cut stones. A few that come to mind are Willemite, Zincite and Friedelite. Most species from Franklin are either too tiny, too devoid of color or too freaking rare to even consider cutting into gems. Friedelite is a cool phyllosilicate and the historic mining district at Franklin is probably the only place in the world to yield gemmy enough crystals for faceting. This stone has a very pleasing characteristic reddish-orange hue and a somewhat hazy appearance. This is definitely in the rare category, and with such an attractive color combined with the fact that the stone is nearly a full carat in weight, it is a superb stone for collectors.

GEMS-084 - Dumortierite - SOLD
Madagascar
thumbnail, 5.0 x 2.6 mm ; 0.15 carats

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Dumortierite from Madagascar [db_pics/new09/RLKG084a.JPG]

Dumortierite from Madagascar [db_pics/new09/RLKG084b.JPG]

Dumortierite is a rather rare gem, and is only found in a few world localities in facettable material. This stone is from a lesser known locality in Madagascar. The color of this stone is a light smoky blue shade, and is very slightly included with a "Pear" cut. I've only seen a few of these stones over the years, and rarely are they completely eye clean, even in smaller stones. This gem is a great rarity indeed, and would make a brilliant additional to any rare stone suite.

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Rob Lavinsky, rob@irocks.com

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