This meteorite slice comes off of the Fukang stony iron pallasite, which was found in 2000 in the Gobi Desert in China. The meteorite weighed about 1003 kgs. It is believed to be 4.5 billion years old. It is a nickel-iron with encapsulated olivine crystals that formed inside the metal. This piece is a full 3 mm thick, which is substantial. It has been cut with a diamond infused wire, else the olivine crystals shatter if sawing with a conventional saw blade. The slice was polished and then later etched with Nitric acid. The acid eats away the top layer of iron, exposing the underlying Widmanstatten pattern within the metal that only occurs in meteorites. I enjoy seeing people's eyes light up when they hold a pallasite slice, and let their imaginations grab hold of the idea this is probably as old as the solar system, and that it spent most of that time floating in space. 

This slice shows an equal amount of olivine and patterned nickel-iron. It weighs 25.65 grams.

FUKANG2 - Meteorite Slice Var. Stony Iron, pallasite
$ 495.00 SOLD NET
Fukang, Xinjiang Province, China
miniature - 4.2 x 3.5 x .3 cm

This meteorite slice comes off of the Fukang stony iron pallasite, which was found in 2000 in the Gobi Desert in China. The meteorite weighed about 1003 kgs. It is believed to be 4.5 billion years old. It is a nickel-iron with encapsulated olivine crystals that formed inside the metal. This piece is a full 3 mm thick, which is substantial. It has been cut with a diamond infused wire, else the olivine crystals shatter if sawing with a conventional saw blade. The slice was polished and then later etched with Nitric acid. The acid eats away the top layer of iron, exposing the underlying Widmanstatten pattern within the metal that only occurs in meteorites. I enjoy seeing people's eyes light up when they hold a pallasite slice, and let their imaginations grab hold of the idea this is probably as old as the solar system, and that it spent most of that time floating in space. This slice has a generous amount of olivine in it, it weighs 25.25 grams.

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TANZANITE1 - Zoisite var. Tanzanite
$ 199.00 SOLD NET
Arusha, Merelani, Tanzania
thumbnail - 1.9 x .9 x .8 cm

Tanzanite is a gem form of zoisite, found only in the Arusha region of Tanzania. Mining is very deep, as gemstones easily go for $250 - $1000+ per carat. Crystals are also produced, of varying quality given largely that anything with a gemmy area within it gets cut. Also most are dinged, so getting pristine specimens is very difficult. Most pieces are heat treated, which mimics the natural geology that gives the crystals that amazing blue-purple color. Natural crystals are often a yellow-brown, although some like this one have a natural blue-purple color. This piece is particularly good in that it shows off good color with reasonable clarity, but also shows the typical natural color on the base. It also hasno damage. There is a very slight "line," on the left shoulder where there is some white clay as a natural inclusion that in some pics creates the illusion of a ding near the termination. Comes mounted on an acryllic base. It weighs 12 carats.

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EMERALD4 - Beryl Var. Emerald
$ 95.00 SOLD NET
Muzo Mine, Muzo, Vasquez-Yacopí Mining District, Boyacá Department, Colombia
thumbnail - 1.25 x .5 x .5 cm

The Muzo Mine in Columbia is one of the oldest working mines in the world (+400 years). This gemmy example is well terminated, and has a little sidecar (unterminated) crystal that gives it additional character. It's about a half inch long and weighs 3.26 carats. No damage on the primary crystal.

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TOURM38 - Tourmaline Var. Elbaite (Bi-colored)
$ 395.00 SOLD NET
Himalaya Mine, Mesa Grande, San Diego County, California
miniature - 4.4 x 2.3 x 2.0 cm

This piece exhibits good color. It is bi-colored with four different color zones. (top down: Red, green, pink, green). It is nearly double terminated, with part of the bottom termination growing off of a little feldspar with Lepidolite. This crystal is thick and yet still shows good color saturation. Often Himalaya mine tourmaline has a brownish-red color whereas this one has pink and red zones. This mine is an american classic, and this piece is a fine example for the price. It weighs 35 grams.

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AQUA8 - Beryl var. Aquamarine (etched)
$ 239.00
Itatia Mine, Minas Gerais, Brazil
small cabinet - 6.5 x 5.0 x 3.0 cm

This beautiful Aquamarine was naturally etched by acids occuring deep in the Earth during, or after the original Beryl crystal formed. It has hundreds of "crystal faces," due to the etching phenomenon. It conjures images of icebergs and glaciers. It came out of a "stash," from the Hawthorneden inventory we purchased several years ago. It has no damage. It weighs 87 grams. 

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QUARTZ35 - Quartz Var. Rose Quartz sphere
$ 175.00 SOLD
Minas Gerais, Brazil
small cabinet - 9.0 x 9.0 x 9.0 cm

This Rose Quartz sphere is exceptional. The color is very rich. It's the best Rose Quartz sphere from the Hawthorneden stock (we got over 10,000 spheres and eggs). It was purchased in Brazil at least 6 years ago, and they had priced it at $250. Good spheres like this one really lights up a showcase with color, but also as a pleasant contrast from otherwise crystallized forms. 

It weighs 992 grams. 

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QUARTZ34 - Quartz Var. Rutilated (rough and sphere)
$ 185.00 SOLD
Minas Gerais, Brazil
cabinet - 12.8 x 8.5 x 8.5 cm

Rough rutilated Quartz isn't really available on the market, given it's value as cutting rough. (the Chinese are buying it at the mine and shipping right to China). I found this chunk in an old collection from the 1960's - 1970's. The rough weighs 1,070 grams. The sphere, which basically matches it's overall color is from the Hawthorneden stock. It is far more impressive in person. The sphere weighs 265 grams. In direct sunlight these two are spectacular, the rutile inclusions cast rainbows, and demonstrate how dynamic good quality rutilated quartz can be. 

 

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AGATE2 - Quartz Var. Agate Enhydro Geode (rough and cut)
$ 65.00 SOLD
Rio Grande Del Sur, Brazil
small cabinet - 7 x 4.5 x 4 cm

This is a set of an intact polished, enhydro agate and a sliced half of an enhydro agate. The sliced half is filled with Quartz crystals and several Calcite crystals. the intact example is of an identical color banding, but is intact so with a flashlight held behind, you can see the water slosh around inside it. We have been selling these enhydros for over 10 years, and people always wonder what they look like inside. This unique set shows exactly what they look like. 

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