GEM17-12
Rubellite Tourmaline
Cruzeiro Mine, Minas Gerais, Brazil
Cabinet, 18.0 x 2.1 x 2.1 cm
SOLD

This lustrous and translucent to gemmy, superb elbaite crystal exhibits various shades of saturated cranberry-red color. It is among the most red tourmalines I have seen, from a huge pocket found in 2013 and metering out to the market. It is doubly-terminated: The brightly lustrous termination atop is glassy and superb, while the matte termination on the bottom appears to be the result of a healed break that repaired itself in situ. The crystal's mass is 142 grams. As with all such larger pieces from this now-famous pocket, including some clusters, the larger crystals have repairs. Here, we have multiple repairs (estimated at 5), but I accept them fully in context of the size and import of the crystal. Exceptional and large, for a Brazilian red tourmaline!