This sphere began as a very clear quartz crystal in Brazil, mined in the 1930's or 40's or earlier. The Canadian government bought the rough and stockpiled it for the WW2 war effort. The optical Quartz was used as lens in things like gun sites. In the 1980's Frank Melanson of Hawthorneden bought the whole lot of it and sent the rough to Idar Oberstein, Germany to be cut into precise spheres and eggs. I remember coming across a stash of these at Frank's house when we went about purchasing his entire inventory. At first we thought 'great, more quartz spheres,' but when I held it up and looked at my dad he was pictured perfectly upside down! 

This is an optical Quartz sphere, meaning there are no inclusions so the distortion to light entering the sphere is scene with total precision and clarity. In the second picture, make note of the fact the the dollar bill is upside down (while George is right side up). In the third pic, the bill is rightside up, so George is upside down, but in the reflection, the bill is upside down and the face is rightside up. In the fourth pic, the camera is focused only on the sphere, so the bill behind it is fuzzy. If you look closely, you can make out the individual pixels of ink composing George's portrait. This is fun to have to show to kids and other adults who are easily amused. 

The Hawthorneden stock had about 20,000 stone spheres and eggs in it. Over the years we have been hoarding these optical spheres while liquidating all the others. This one was, by the way priced at $120 back in the late eighties when they first got them back from the German factories. It weighs 91 grams, and is 1 1/2 inches in diameter.

HELIODORE1 - Beryl Var. Heliodor - rough and cut -
SOLD
Volodarsk-Volynskll, Zhytomyr Oblast', Ukraine
cabinet - 10.0 x 1.8 x 1.6

This lightly etched Beryl is extremely bright and transparent. The very top of the termination has multiple points, although it is a single crystal. The bottom tapers, and has increased etching, and a slightly deeper color saturation. On one side it has a few whispy inclusions (they might be screw dislocations that are hollow similar to thoseoften found in Kunzite from Brazil). As pictured the whispys are about 5 mm long and inhabit about 3% of the otherwiseflawless natural crystal. No Damage of any kind: no dings, scrapes, nicks, or anything! It weighs about 44 grams. 

I've paired it with a cut Heliodor from the same location. What makes this 20.40 carat stone unique is that the table of the stone retains the etched surface of the original beryl crystal. It is a basic color match to the crystal, and serves as an elegant pairing. 

I originally acquired this Heliodor, in 2007 through my friend who has sources inside the mine. Apparently there has been some very light mining over the last twenty years or so (the mine closed in the seventies?) since 2008, nothing has been produced (according to my friend). I immediately sold this piece to Steve Dowell, and reaquired it when we bought his entrie collection recently.

 It weighs 44 grams.

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(click on the pictures to enlarge)

RHODOCHROSITE2 - Rhodochrosite on Quartz with Pyrite
$ 3995.00 SOLD NET
Sweet Home Mine, Alma, Colorado
miniature - 5.0 x 4.5 x 3.8 cm

This beautiful specimen features two Rhombs measuring 4.0 cm across and 3.1 cm tall 2.0 cm thick, perched on a quartz and pyrite matrix. The Rhodochrosite crystals are complete, not cleaved or broken at all. There is alittle contact on the back left side which happened while in the pocket (pictured). the front left rhomb shows a natural disturbance and re-healing to the plane of the Rhodo crystal. Again, all naturally occuring in the pocket. No damage. It comes mounted on an acryllic base. 

Since the mine closed a few years ago, and prices skyrocketed, it seems everyone has poured their b grade material onto the market. It is important to maintain standards and make sure the crystals are complete and in good condition. 

I was there in 1991 at the Innsuites when Brian Lees and Collector's edge busted out the (relatively) new finds from Sweet Home. They handed out numbers like at a deli, and some people camped outside to get a low number. The room was filled with red Rhodochrosite, red roses and red bowties worn by the CE employees. It was a mind blowing array of red, and upon close examination, many of these pieces had cleavage planes on the rhodo crystals. The best they had found went to the main show and was priced much higher.

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(click on the pictures to enlarge)

TOURM36 - Tourmaline Var. Tri-color Blue Cap
$ 2900.00 SOLD NET
Sapo Mine, Goibiera, Minas Gerais, Brazil
small cabinet - 5.5 x 3.25 x 1.7 cm

The Tri-Colored Blue Cap Sapo Tourmaline is a modern classic.

The pocket was found around 1996 at the sapo (means "Toad" in portugeuse) mine in Brazil. Boldly colored three zone tourmalines are a

rare occurence. Also, blue cap tourmalines are highly valued, particularly after Bill Larson's famous find in Pala, California. This tourmaline a

bold red rubellite for 60% of it, then a rich yellow band and finally a true Blue cap. It has three smaller "sidecar," crystals attached to the side.

They are fully terminated. The crystal is in great condition, without damage except for only three tiny chips below the termination (pictured),

that don't interrupt the flat top perimeter. These little chips are very common on these Sapo tourmalines as the brazilian's are notoriously hard

on crystals (these were shoveled into bags back in the day). Overall it is a great example of one of these special, classic tourmalines that

have become hard to find on the market place.

 

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(click on the pictures to enlarge)

TOURM37 - Elbaite Tourmaline with Clevelandite
$ 235.00 SOLD
Stak Nala, Skardu Road, Haramosh Mts., Gilgit, Northern Areas, Pakistan
miniature - 3.7 x 3.4 x 2.2 cm

The central Tourmaline measure 3.7 cm tall. Both crystals are bright and reflective and have top bands of gem green and light pink terminations. There are three total crystals, accented by the Cleavelandite. The tourmalines don't have any dings. This piece was recently mined in Pakistan and brought (late) to the Munich show. 

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(click on the pictures to enlarge)

QUARTZ33 - Quartz w/ petroleum inclusions
$ 95.00 SOLD
Zhob Baluchistan, Pakistan
thumbnail - 2.6 x 1.9 x 1.8 cm

This is a pair of double terminated Quartz crystals from Zhob Baluchistan: a war torn region of Pakistan. One is filled with petroleum, and considered a four phase included Quartz. The second is a clear example of a three phase included Quartz. It has a fluid inclusion (not petroleum) and trapped gas bubble. The first pic is normal lighting of the pair, and the second pic is both of them under long wave fluorescent light. These two make a great set to show off fluorescence.  The gas bubble forms when the the Quartz cools after forming, the petroleum contracts more than the Quartz because it is less dense, it pulls a vacume within the fluid thus creating a "gas" bubble.  The four phases are: the gas bubble trapped in the petroleum, the petroleum itself, a darker brown previously organic material, and black carbon inclusions. I learned this from an insightful geologist who specializes in Quartz inclusions, whom I met at the Tucson Main show. 

The petroleum included Quartz is in good condition with smaller quartz crystals growing on it, and a few spots of contact where some of those came off. the clear crystal is also in good condition with just a little minor chipping on the bottom edge of one termination.

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