Liddicoatite, Tourmaline

Anjanbonoina, Antananarivo Prov., Madagascar

16.5 cm tall x 11.4 cm diameter

Liddicoatite is an uncommon form of tourmaline. It was first discovered in Madagascar and named after Richard T. Liddicoat, the “Father of Modern Gemology.” Liddicoatite is typically sliced perpendicular to the c axis and polished to reveal its unique triangular color zoning, sometimes referred to as the “Mercedes” symbol. When the slices exhibit vibrant colors and perfect growth patterns, these slices are among the most prized of all tourmalines. However, this piece is of the utmost value, as we rarely see large liddicoatite crystals that also exhibit gem quality transparency throughout. Due to its rarity, this crystal was not sliced.