Corundum var. Ruby

Unknown Owner

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At two inches long and just over an inch in width, this is a fairly good-sized Ruby crystal by any standard. For Vietnam, where most Ruby crystals display a resorbed texture and can be somewhat lumpy, it has very good crystal form. It is doubly terminated with well formed prism faces that are striated perpendicular to the length of the crystal and it is complete all around 360 degrees. The surface has a waxy to adamantine luster, as with Mogok Rubies and unlike Afghanistan Ruby specimens. The color is a pleasing cranberry pink-red hue, that really is very different from the classic hues found historically in Burma (Mogok) - but then again, such large crystals are also rare from anywhere! It is also exhibits good translucency which adds to the aesthetics of the piece. It has a mass of 73.25 grams! From a well known Italian mineral collector, L. Pellegrini, who was an commercial airline pilot. He had the lucky ability to simply carry minerals out in the cockpit, when he flew from Asia to Italy .