Tourmaline

Item Description

This is a massive 295-gram rubellite crystal from a lesser-known mining district by today's production. It has a most unusual magenta color in person, with a touch of blue or purple you do not normally see in rubellite from Brazil. The piece has a super display face on the front, and you can see the diagonal lepidolite blades attached on back, arching over from behind, at this angle. Sadly, though, the left side is broken and the right side was contacted where it grew against lepidolite and I believe has been lightly polished or sanded to be smoother. So, while it is pretty enough from the front, buyers should note the sides are problematic. The termination is most unsuual, basically a 1mm black, matte cap atop an otherwise normal core. The contrast is very interesting, visually, and draws the eye to the boundary.