Gem: Chrome Kornerupine
Weight: 0.23 ct.
Dimensions: 5 x 3.1 mm
Clarity: VVS+
Origin: Umba Valley, Tanzania
Treatments: None, natural gem
Comments:
Kornerupine of this color is seldom found. In fact, even for kornerupine, it's purple, green, teal, and blue hues are exceptional. Only one deposit in Tanzania, and another in Kenya are known to produce these outstanding comibinations.
This gem is from the 2019 find, which was exhausted in 2020 or so. Since then, rough has been increasingly difficult to source, especially in good quality or large sizes.
Finished gems above one carat are very rare in this gem type, and even more so to find them CLEAN. Any kornerupine gem of good clarity is considered very rare.
This pear shaped chrome kornerupine gem is faceted with the purple axis facing out through the table: A feature which allows it's dichroism to be constantly on display. You generally will see a purple heart, with teal scintillation at both ends, with various hues of gray purple blue and green in supporting roles.