Grandidierite (very rare) with Quartz

Item Description

When you look up the lists of the "Top 10 Rarest Gems in The World", you'll always seen Grandidierite on there. This species is often brought up in conversation with gems like Painite, Phosphyllite, Taaffeite, Poudretteite, Benitoite and Jeremejevite. Grandidierite actually ranked at #7 on Mining Global's "Top 10 Rarest Gems Found on Earth" list, and it came in at #3 on Forbes' "12 Most Expensive Gemstones In The World" list. The species has been around for a long time as it was was discovered by the French mineralogist, Alfred Lacroix in 1902 and named after French explorer and naturalist Alfred Grandidier (1836?1912). Grandidier was the man who literally wrote the book on Madagascar - specifically the natural history - titled: "L'Histoire physique, naturelle et politique de Madagascar". Grandidierite was first discovered / reported along the cliffs of Andrahomana, on the southern coast of Madagascar, and even though it has been found in multiple localities around the world, it's still considered exceptionally rare, especially in gem quality material. Specimens of Grandidierite are seldom seen on the market in any size. Chemically, the species is a magnesium, iron, aluminun borosilicate, somewhat similar to Tourmaline. Like many rare minerals, it's the color that really draws one's attention in Grandidierite. The best examples of the species have a truly alluring greenish-blue color, reminiscent of top Euclase specimens from Colombia. Recently there was an important new discovery of Grandidierite in Madagascar. This piece is from the new find, and even though it's not a killer per se, it's till is a nice example of the material with wonderful color. The main crystal on the piece is well-striated and lustrous, with that intense greenish-blue color when backlit, with minor associated Smoky Quartz. It's not a world-class specimen, as the termination is broken, but it's a good sized reference piece of a very rare and desirable species. If you've always wanted an example of this remarkable material, this is a perfect opportunity to snag a nice piece for a good price. For reference, there were FACETED STONES of Grandidierite selling for over $5,000 per carat in Tucson last month.