Elbaite Tourmaline group

Unknown Owner

This is an extremely attractive small miniature-sized individual Elbaite tourmaline crystal displaying a 'funky' two-stage form, with an extremely colourful and gemmy termination and a narrow, naturally etched lower prism. From Barra do Salinas at Coronel Murta in the Jequitinhonha Valley, Minas Gerais, Brazil the 3.2 cm long crystal is essentially a pink and green watermelon tourmaline, having an outer shell of lime to emerald-green and a pale candy-pink core. The latter forms the lower half of the crystal where the outer green shell has been naturally etched away. The upper part of the crystal is intensely coloured and extremely gemmy, responding exceptionally well to backlighting. Not only that, but it is extremely well crystallized with a wonderful classic three-sided pyramidal termination. A lovely small Elbaite with an asymmetric hexagonal termination and bright glassy lustre.