Gem: Chrome Kornerupine
Weight: 1.65 ct. - HUGE for a decently clean chrome kornerupine
Dimensions: 9 x 6.6 mm
Clarity: SI - mostly just silk here and there, and a little salt and pepper; no cracks
Origin: Umba Valley, Tanzania
Treatments: None - Natural gemstone
Comments:
This impressive chrome kornerupine is the largest one I have available. I believe it may end up as the largest and nicest one I get the opportunity to work with, and sell!
I faceted this in a modified version of Arya Akhavan's 'retrograde amelioration' - A design that I love for kornerupine.
This gem is on the dark side, but the colors and brightness that you get from it pierce that deepness quite effectively. It gives it a great, and vivid contrast. In-hand, under normal lighting conditions, this gem shows as a vivid medium 'blue raspberry' color, which is a mix of it's axis colors of teal and purple. But under more filtered lighting conditions, you can see seafoam green, deep purple, and all kinds of blues and teals.
Chrome kornerupine is rarely available in clean gems over a carat. This one, at 1.65 ct., is VERY large and to be considered very clean for it's size and gem type. There are whispy, silky inclusions, and a little bit of salt and pepper as crystal inclusions, but there are NO large single inclusions, and NO noticeable fractures or cracks. Due to the depth and strength of color, the inclusions can hardly be noticed in hand. There are some surface-reaching inclusions, but they are micro-sized.
This rare treat is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for someone who loves kornerupine, like I do, or anyone looking to make a piece of jewelry that is REALLY exceptional, one of a kind, and destined to become a generational heirloom.
If you are a museum or an educational institution and would like this piece for display, please reach out to discuss a reduced price.