Name: Baryte (Rough & Cut set)
Brand: The Arkenstone
Price: 1500 USD
Availability: InStock

Baryte (Rough & Cut set)

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This carefully curated rough-and-cut-gemstone set showcases the diversity of Colorado barytes with two examples from well-known baryte locales. The rough-and-cut set on the left (light blue) is instantly recognizable for its distinct iconic blue color from Stoneham, Colorado—one of, if not the most popular, blue baryte-producing spots. The cut stone is an ABSOLUTE GEM, it’s vitreous and exhibits a pale sky blue color. Paired nicely with a baryte cluster that features tabular, sharp chisel terminations and good gumminess and color. In contrast, the educational pairing on the right set features limpid, water-clear barytes from the Book Cliffs formation just north of Grand Junction, Colorado. The specimen is a water-clear, very sharp chisel-tipped, colorless orthorhombic baryte prism that looks more like a gem quartz crystal than a baryte. Accompanied by a freeform gem that weighs 8.39 ct, eye-clean, an absolute gem with vitreous luster and transparent as ice. Most people don't realize that only a small percentage of the barytes from this locality reach this quality. The crystals form inside of Mancos Shale concretions, which have to be cracked open to expose the Barytes inside. Most of these concretions do not host fine quality Baryte crystals, and water-clear specimens are not common on the market these days. Oval Round from Stoneham: 0.63 ct, 5.9 x 3.5 x 3.0 mm. Freeform from Grand Junction: 8.39 ct, 11.3 x 10.7 x 8.3 mm. From the collection of Eric Fritz of Tucson, Arizona. Eric has a diploma from Gem-A in Great Britain, worked as a technical advisor for the Gemological Institute of America, along with being a managing director for the University of Arizona museum. He assembled a wonderful worldwide representative collection of crystals and cut stones, emphasizing famous USA locations featured in the American Mineral Treasures book that produced both crystals and gem material.