VLT09-058
Topaz With Quartz on Albite
Dassu, Shigar Valley, Skardu, Northern Areas, Pakistan
Cabinet, 11.2 x 10.2 x 9.2 cm
SOLD
A totally gemmy, transparent, see-through topaz is the highlight of this fantastic combination piece, which has a striking balance of topaz and quartz, both nestled in crystallized cleavelandite. The topaz is 5 cm wide, 4 cm deep, and about 4 cm tall. It is PRISTINE. Not a ding on it and for that matter the rest of the piece is as close to pristine as you can wish, as well. In person, the topa zleaps out at you as a 3-dimensional jewel, transparent and brilliant like glass. You can see right through it to the quartz behind, the cleavelandite underneath, and the faceted terminations set against them. Topaz, on matrix, of this quality comes but rarely despite all the hunting and searching for these valuable gems. Most people consider this region to be the premier locality for champagne-colored topaz crystals of this style, and this piece epitomizes why. I purchased this in 2008 directly from a source in Peshawar, when it was much larger and needed to be heavily trimmed and cleaned. Joe Budd Photo (on graded background)