Name: Dioptase
Brand: The Arkenstone
Price: 7500 USD
Availability: InStock

Updated 18h ago

Dioptase

A breathtaking specimen of sparkly green dioptase, unique in appearance from any previous finds of this species and simply eye-appealing in a case, this is a "cast" where the dioptase was given structure to grow upon, like scaffolding, by a previous generation of mineral growth. Dioptase has come out of Africa since the mid 1900s. In the early 2000s, a few new localities came online in Namibia (Kaokoveld) and Congo (DRC). However, a series of discoveries from a few small finds (2018-2019) at the copper mines of Mindouli in the Republic of the Congo really surprised us with beautiful specimens, that seem to have now come and gone to the market. Note that this is the former French Congo and not to be confused the neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo. These remarkable and unique dioptase specimens form as sculpture casts of sparkling, sugary, dark emerald-green Dioptase crystals to 2 mm in rounded clusters and plates, that look like they grew atop of bubbles. The leading possibility is that these formed as casts over dolomite growths which are now gone. The brilliant luster of the Dioptase and curving arrangement of the "bubbles" makes them scintillate with any amount of ambient lighting, at any orientation, which makes these ideal for jewelry use! This was a unique find in the history of dioptase, and they are really dramatic objects on a shelf. This is the last of the few larger-sized specimens we got from the find back in those years. Many of them sadly did not make it to the mineral market, either because of damage in collecting or because they were cut into small pieces for lapidary use; and sold by the gram as sparkly jewels for wire wrap and mounted settings in jewelry. The large size and pristine condition make this an important - and simply beautiful - example of this rare style.

$7,500.00