SOLD
IBF23-11
Fluorite
Poggio Balate, Termini Imerese, Palermo Prov., Sicily, Italy
Small Cabinet, 6.8 x 6.5 x 4.8 cm
SOLD

The majority of Fluorite specimens from Poggio Balate, Sicily are intergrown cubes with sharp edges and faces but do not have a complete cubic geometry present. This is an extraordinary, near complete, isolated single large cubic crystal sitting above intergrown secondary crystals and is showing 5 of the 6 complete sides of a stepped cube. The cube measures 3.8 x 3.5 x 3.6 cm. It has preferential secondary micro-crystalline coating on as many as 3 sides, making the view translucent to opaque depending on the coating thickness. On the clean faces the Fluorite is transparent with a satin luster and a cobalt blue color showing thick blue phantoms with a white to clear inner core. The piece is in excellent condition. The blue hue varies depending on lighting but shows its most brilliant color under cool LED lights and purple fluorescence under UV lights. An exquisite uncommon fluorite from a locale known for fine Fluorites.