Spodumene var. Kunzite (significant USA locale)

Item Description

Many people do not realize that kunzite, famous and abundant today in brazil and Afghanistan, actually was FIRST found in San Diego and named over 100 years ago! Said to be one of the finest quality kunzites (surviving and not cut) recovered from this small, little known San Diego mine, Bill Larson obtained this from local miner and collector Bill McGee in the 1980s and retained it in his own important San Diego collection for decades. It is absolutely gemmy and transparent, with a startlingly sharp termination that is unusual for both San Diego and really for kunzite from ANY locality. Note that, as with many things in this collection, the previous owner liked old pieces to look old and so this was not cleaned fully, leaving some of the pocket clay and iron staining within. It can get cleaner and more sparkly, but already looks beautiful as it is, and also has no repairs or restorations. To repeat and emphasize that, this is simply remarkable for a San Diego kunzite of this size, from this pegmatite. The mine has a fascinating and long history of workings back to the early 1900s, none of which seemed to last a long time and ended up closed again and again. It is 129 grams of pure floater gem kunzite, nearly complete all around! (It has only a few small cleaves, probably in situ, if you look closely, but the termination is superb and intact in full). It is stunning, standing in a case. From the important and long held personal San Diego County Collection of William "Bill" Larson, longtime owner of the Himalaya Mine, discoverer of the famous Queen Mine BlueCap pocket, and numerous other San Diego mining projects over the last 60 years and more. American origin gem crystals like this are simply not on the market - at any price - normally. This is valued $7500-12500. Custom base included.