From the Herb Obodda collection, this is a very unusual "bent" tourmaline with a growth curvature caused by tectonic movement in the pocket as the crystal grew. The result is a curved crystal that defies the standard geometric growth we would expect to see in a tourmaline. This large crystal is complete all around with a nice association to a quartz and is not repaired (as most such large crystals are from this region, curved or otherwise). Sometimes this bizarre growth is attributed by collectors to be due to breaking-and-rehealing, although this is not technically correct in all cases I am told. In any case, the result is a most unusual piece that stands out among other tourmalines. Joe Budd photos.