Elbaite Tourmaline

Unknown Owner

This 5 cm tall, single, detached Elbaite tourmaline is from the famous Coronel Murta area in Jequitinhonha Valley, Minas Gerais, Brazil. It has an excellent raspberry pink colour, grading from paler down the sides, with a deeper pink core and an intense pink flat-topped termination. It has one horizontal repair just above half-way up the prism but this is barely visible without the use of UV light. A second possible repair appears to be where a sliver has been reattached to one side of the prism, but this is not so apparent under UV testing. The termination is good, with just minor chipping along the edges and there are a few small bites out of the sides of the crystals but it presents very well - very colourful and gemmy. The crystal is mounted for display on a small acrylic base.