Azurite rose

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Concepcion del Oro is home to a group of famous metal mines, dating back to Spanish times. It is still worked for copper today, and occasionally produces some good mineral specimens when collecting is given time and space to happen. However, it is most famous for older finds from the 1980s and before, when more fine minerals came out than we see today, even though the mining is ongoing. This is one of the finest, sharpest most colorful of the classic "Concepcion Roses" that we have ever seen, and to me was a highlight in the Ruben Avila collection. It is presumed to be from the 1970s-early 1980s finds, although could have come out earlier. It is sharp, well defined, and has unusually good luster which sets it above others. The crystals have a deep waxy luster to them, whereas too often there is just the faintest sign of etching or dissolution that diminishes that sheen on the surface. It is a perfect size and balance, and a floater complete all around. These are treasures of a past mining era, seldom seen today. This is, to my eye, the star item in a suite of over a dozen specimens of classic Azurite Roses from both Mexico and Arizona, accumulated in this Mexico-based collection at the time that they were coming out. In person, this is a gorgeous azurite rose that is immediately and obviously different (better) from all the rest; and also visually and subtle distinct from the circa-1900s Bisbee Roses to which these were compared when they came out. And, consider this - there are far fewer fine Mexican azurite roses of this caliber surviving and known in collections, than of Bisbee Roses. These have always been more rare.