Tourmaline (bi-color) (ex Rolando Gioia Collection)

Minas Gerais, Brazil
Thumbnail, 2.3 x 1.7 x 0.5 cm
Start Time: 03/07/2019 6:45:00 pm (CST)
End Time: 03/14/2019 6:45:00 pm (CDT)
Auction Closed

Item Description

A wonderful thumbnail sized specimen of Tourmaline featuring a single striated prism that may look black at first glance, but with good backlighting, you can see a mix of soft blue and lilac hues inside. The entire crystal is not completely transparent, as there are black zones, but the areas of color are really different than what one often sees in a Tourmaline. The crystal measures 2.0 cm long and is sitting beautifully on crystallized Muscovite or Lepidolite Mica matrix. The piece is in good shape, and the main crystal is complete all the way around. Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the Tourmaline is that it shows a slightly fibrous growth along the prism and in turn creates a slight "cat's eye" effect when the light is reflected on the surface. The piece would make a would make a nice addition to any Tourmaline suite, a gem crystal collection, or a Brazilian collection. From the collection of Rolando Gioia (a contributor to new definitive book on Brazilian minerals: "Minerais e Pedras Preciosas do Brasil").

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