SOREG15-128
Dioptase on Calcite, with Duftite
Tsumeb Mine, Tsumeb, Otjikoto Region, Namibia
Cabinet, 11.3 x 5.5 x 5.2 cm
Ex. Dr. Art Soregaroli
SOLD
Crystals to 1.2 cm, with top color and great luster, dominate this large plate of Dioptase on a Calcite with Duftite matrix! The coverage of Dioptases is very good, and you can still appreciate the individual crystals, which cannot be said of many Dioptase specimens. The Calcite rhombs that compose the matrix are coated with green Duftite, and the Calcite has a nice orange-red fluorescence. Some of the Dioptase crystals are contacted or bruised, but this is nonetheless a choice specimen that is rich and aesthetic. You would be hard pressed to easily find one this good at this price. Tsumeb is gone for good, and these stand as one of the great finds of the century from this mine. It has a very few small bruised crystals, for which I halved the value compared to a pristine piece, making this a rare cabinet piece with the good color, for the price range.