This wonderful gem crystal is unique in my experience in that I have seen many of these "hoppered" spinel crystals before from Vietnam, but usually they have a dull luster and are not gemmy. The combination of gemminess, luster, and surreal sculptural form really makes this crystal special and dramatic. It is a floater, complete 360 degrees, all around. It is exceptionally equant for a crystal of such size, with under five percent variation on the three axes. Overall, for impact, its just one of the most interesting pieces I have yet seen from Vietnam. Mined in 2005 and part of a large lot I bought at the time.