- GEM23-20
- Corundum var. Ruby
- Aliabad marbles, Aliabad, Nagar Dist., Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan
- Small Cabinet, 7.8 x 6.5 x 2.8 cm
- $6,500.00 Payment Plan Available
This is an exceptional Ruby in matrix from the Aliabad marbles in Pakistan. There is a trio of very nice, translucent, rich red-pink, lustrous crystals on and in an ultimate contrasting snow-white Calcite marble matrix. The trio measures 3.4, 1.5, and 1 cm in maximum dimension, respectively. The big, beautiful crystal actually stands off matrix for the top third of its length which is rare for Rubies from this locality. It is a lucious translucent red and unusually sharp prismatic, lustrous, doubly terminated crystal that displays light horizontal striations perpendicular to its length. The lustrous, colorful intermediate-sized crystal is partially embedded in the Calcite and is associated with a pair of blocky, 7 mm, medium olive green Vesuvianite crystals, which is a rare associating at this deposit. The smaller crystal has great color too, but is more subhedral and inserted in the Calcite. There are some flecks of 2 to 3 mm Phlogopite crystals sprinkled on the marble. They are unusually sharp Ruby crystals of a size and form we rarely see from here, much less being on matrix. They exhibit a shocking ultra neon-red fluorescence under long-wave UV. The Aliabad marbles have proven to be one of the world's greatest localities for fine specimen Rubies. This is a well balanced, rich specimen with classic crystals for the size and price range. We got lucky and prepped it out of a rougher piece, as we could not even purchase it in Pakistan's marketplace at this price, I suspect.