Gem: Spinel
Weight: 1.06 ct.
Dimensions:
Clarity: VVS+ / Eye Clean
Origin: Zo Valley, Afghanistan / Tajikistan Border Area
Treatments: None
Comments:
This rich, medium-toned purple spinel is tip top. I designed a bright and interesting gemstone diagram, and set to cutting. I couldn't be happier with the results. The pattern presents completely, with a very minimal window, only visible at shallow angles.
This rough is coveted for a number of reasons, but top among them is the rich color, and absence of gray or dark secondary colors. It's pure, open, and clean, and just sings its color.
Put shortly: This gem performs great, and is above average for color, light return, and completeness of pattern. This is due partly to it's deep semi-barion pavilion. A relatively shallow crown should help this stone stay damage free whether set in prongs OR bezel.
Some of the oldest gemstones in the world came from Afghanistan. Millennia ago, both lapis lazuli AND amazingly clear, vibrantly colored spinels were found and traded from this valley. That makes this spinel, from this mine (and a few others, like Kuh-i Lal) some of the oldest known top gem material in the world. This gem's rough was mined recently, of course, but Zo Valley has consistently provided it's amazing treasure sporadically over the last 2000-3000+ years.