TUC14-83
Diopside
Merelani Hills, Arusha, Tanzania
Toenail, 3.0 x 0.9 x 0.8 cm
Ex. Carl Acosta
SOLD

This is a lustrous and translucent, bright apple-green diopside crystal, showing everything you could want in this material, which is widely considered to be the world's best of species. Considering how common diopside is, that is saying a lot! But Tanzania seems to produce the prettiest examples, and in recent times no less. This specimen was in the Carl Acosta Thumbnail collection when it was illustrated in the Mineralogical Record, vol.40 #5 page 376, fig. 59. Note that this is the issue ON Tanzanian gem crystals, which further demonstrates its significance. It weighs 24.73 carats. Ex. Carl Acosta Collection.