Gem: Amethyst
Weight: 2.83 ct.
Dimensions: 14.8 x 12.6 x 1.9 mm
Clarity: VVS+ / Eye clean
Origin: Colton Hill, Stow, Maine - 2017 - dug by Moose the Miner with Gary Howard's crew
Treatments: None
Comments:
This is what we call farm to table gemstones! This material was dug in 2017, by Moose the Miner, while he was working with Gary Howard's crew. They also operate gemstone mining locations for tourmaline in Georgetown, and possibly a few other secret spots.
Anyway, this portrait-cut gem is awesome. It is a cross-wise slice of a gemmy crystal that was full of purple phantom color splotches. The result is basically a tie-die amethyst gem. This is exactly the kind of thing you cut a portrait gem for -- to display some natural aesthetics like purple coloration swirling like drops of dye in a pool of water.
This gem has lots of cool applications, from a cignet ring, to a portrait pendant. If so inclined, you could even have an expert carver add some detail to the back, which would popl, and be framed really well by the faceted edges.
Local New England material is hard found, and doesn't come to market very often due to it's rarity, and the difficulty of finding and extracting gems in the thick, steep woods of western Maine.
It used to be one of my favorite activities when I was close by. But I still like to support the miners chasing their dreams, such as Moose.