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Roger usually facets material people are familiar with such as aquamarine, amethyst, or tourmaline. Sometimes he finds gem rough that isn't often seen, which we put in the "Rare and Collector" category.
The gemstone below is a 1.33ct. Madagascan Chrysoberyl. Roger purchased the rough during his July 2008 trip to Madagascar. Chrysoberyl is a very durable gemstone with a hardness of 8 1/2. In the gem trade when a Chyrsoberyl exhibits color change it is known as the gemstone Alexandrite. Roger enjoys Chrysoberyl for its vivid yellow-green color that ranges from chartreuse to lemon yellow.
Kunzite is a personal favorite for Roger. Often Roger facets the bottom or pavilion of kunzite with a cutting technique called Portuguese, which uses very small diamond shaped facets. This makes for a very bright gemstone. Kunzite is named after George Kunz who was one of the premier gemologists for Tiffany & Co. in the late 1800s and early 1900s. In 1902 this pink variety of the mineral Spodumene was discovered in the USA. Since Spodumene is such a mouthful to say, and to honor George Kunz, it is now called Kunzite. Kunzite is one of those gemstones that usually occurs large. Kunzite is fabulous as a pendant or a as an enhancer worn with pearls as the pink tone brings out the rose' color of pearls.
Rare color. If you would like to learn more about rare colored gemstones please visit the "Rare and Collector" tab on our website! |
