TK02 Malachite ps. Cuprite (ON MATRIX!!!) 

Chessy-Les-Mines, Rhone, Rhone Alpes, France

12.3x 9.5x 6.0 cm             

I have handled a fair number of malachite ps. cuprite pseudomorphs from Chessy, but this is by far the most spectacular.

Those familiar with the locality know that the majority of specimens were produced during the 1800's, and that virtually all specimens remaining on the market exist as single crystals, off matrix.  In rare instances the cuprite pseudos occur on azurite nodules, but they are frequently weathered and occur in groups of 2 crystals at most.

This specimen is literally covered with pseudomorphs and clusters to 1.9 cm.  They are not all the sharpest, but this is certainly the best and richest matrix specimen that I have ever seen from the locality in my 15 years of collecting.

It was collected in 1984 at the mine dumps by a local collector, who recently sold it to me.  As the matrix is clay, the piece has been stabilized.

TK03 Beryl var. Emerald

Kagem mine, Kitwe Prov., Zambia

3.3x 3.1x 1.6 cm

$900

Among specimen collectors, Zambian emeralds were virtually unheard of until last year. Since the late 80's however, they have gained popularity as faceted gemstones, a process accelerated by Tiffany's.  The majority of Zambian emeralds are exported to Israel, where they are cut and then once again exported. 

Last year, Gemfields PLC contacted the Collector's Edge, and the ensuing partnership has since brought additional specimens to the market.

Anyone who has been keeping track of the recently available specimens has seen the high prices (a piece like this one would probably retail around $2000).  I obtained this piece through the gem rough channel, and so can offer it for about half of what it would sell for elsewhere.

The crystal is frozen in a quartz matrix, and has been broken by tectonic movements and then rehealed with quartz, a typical occurrence at this site.

If you want a good thumbnail/ toenail form the find, here is a good opportunity for under 1k.

TK04 Wulfenite

Urumqi, Kuruktag Mountains, Xinjiang Uygur Region, Northern China
6.2x 4.1x 1.8 cm

I was lucky enough to find one Chinese dealer who had wulfenites of decent quality.  It seemed that any of the non-Chinese dealers who had any were asking ridiculous prices, and there was very little available. 

 This specimen is from a small stash held over from the major find a couple years ago.  Although there are a few broken edges, one has to look very closely to see them.  The color is spectacular, and the arrangement of the crystals differentiates it from the vast majority of other specimens.

TK06 Fluorite

De'An Mine, Jiangxi Prov., China
19.0x 15.0x 2.8 cm

A beautiful cabinet specimen from a major find made a few years ago.  This is a rich plate, containing numerous purple crystals imbedded in nicely contrasting white quartz.

When these were first discovered, the fluorite crystals were embedded in the quartz. Through a VERY dangerous and time consuming treatment with hydrofluoric acid, the crystals have been exposed.

Unlike many others, the crystals do not appear to be jumbled up.  Most of these were very large cabinets; I liked this one because it seemed like a slightly scaled-down version of some of the larger plates that I have seen over the last few years.

TK07 Kesterite with Mushistonite, Aquamarine

Mt. Xuebaoding, Ping Wu Co., Sichuan Prov., China
2.5x 2.15x 1.8 cm

Simply put, this s one of the best kesterite thumbnails that I have ever seen.  There is a bit of damage on the back , near the top, but it displays perfectly from the front (see bottom right image).

The kesterite is double terminated, and represents a very large single crystal.  Most of the larger kesterite specimens are actually clusters--not the case with this one.  The crystal is also perched on a couple pale tabular aquamarines, making for a rare association and a beautifully balanced specimen.

TK08 Rhodochrosite

Ushkatan III  Deposit, -Zhayrem area, Kazakhstan
7.4x 5.5x 3.4 cm

Kazakhstan is not a place that comes to mind when one thinks of rhodochrosite, but in the 1990's this deposit produced a number of very fine botryoidal specimens.

Much of it was used for lapidary work, particularly cabochons.  Today they are rare, and represent one of the few examples of good-colored botryoidal rhodochrosite.

I liked this one because you could see some of the matrix present underneath the rhodochrosite-- often times they tend to look like shards of rhodochrosite, but this one looks like a proper specimen.

TK10 Staurolite

Kola Peninsula, Murmanskaja Oblast', Northern Region, Russia
4.4x 4.0x 1.6 cm

$185

Staurolite from northern Russia is often seen at wholesale shows or rock shops, particularly because the frequently found twins tend to form crosses.

This one is a sixling, many times rarer than normal twins.  I saw about 3 or 4 of them out of the literally thousands of staurolite specimens available, and this one was one with the best symmetry and overall balance.

TK12 Wulfenite

Onderra Mine, Kaokoveld Plateau, Kunene Region, Namibia
3.7x 2.9x 2.0 cm

$235

A cluster of blocky wulfenite crystals from a recent namibian find.  A beautiful miniature specimen of this new material.

TK14 Quartz var. Amethyst

Brandberg, Erongo Region, Namibia
6.3x 5.5x 3.8 cm

$350

A  beautiful specimen hosting two parallel crystals of slightly hoppered quartz on a scrap of matrix.  Very well balanced, and damage free.

In my opinion, these are some of the best amethyst's currently available-- although production has largely stopped in Mexico (temporarily), the quality that was coming out of the Mexican mines did not compare to these Namibian specimens. 

TK15 Fluorite on Quartz
Mine El Gaudo, Talampaya, La Rioja, Argentina
10.6x 4.0x 3.3 cm

An unusual fluorite specimen from a rarely seen locality.  The fluorites are present on both the front and back of the specimen, interspersed among the quartz crystals on the back and forming a line on the front.  The bottom part of the line has a bit of damage, as seen in the photographs, but this remains a very beautiful and unusual specimen.

TK18 Sturmanite

N'Chwaning II Mine, Kalahari Manganese Fields, Northern Cape Province, South Africa

4.6x 1.9x 1.3 cm

A rather large, elongated and terminated sturmanite crystal unearthed at the Kalahari manganese fields in the 1980's.  

You may be familiar with the brighter yellow specimens from this same area.  Those date to the 1990's and later; darker specimens such as this one and the pieces below were unearthed during the preceding decade.