This is a striking and impactful red fluorite crystal from the renowned Huanggang Mines of China, specifically from the famous Red Pocket discovery of August 2019. The find was prolific, yielding thousands of specimens with prices ranging from a few hundred dollars to well over a million. However, many pieces from this pocket were heavily included with byssolite, which often dulled their transparency and obscured the vivid color. Damage was also common, with even some of the most elite specimens requiring repairs or restorations.

The pocket produced fluorite in a range of colors from salmon pink to cherry red—the latter being the most desirable hue among fluorite collectors. Most crystals exhibited a matte luster and required strong backlighting to reveal their full depth of color.

This particular crystal stands well apart. Measuring a full 12 centimeters from tip to tip, it is a near-textbook octahedron—razor-sharp, gemmy throughout, and displaying a glassy luster rarely seen in the find. The color is notably open and vibrant, allowing the red to shine through even under moderate lighting. Like all fluorites from this discovery, it reaches peak visual impact when backlit.

Originally acquired directly from the mine in 2019, this piece was quietly held in a private Chinese collection until I encountered it in May 2023 during a sourcing trip. It was being offered privately, and there is simply no comparison in terms of quality or value with what is currently available in the Western market. In the contemporary mineral world, few discoveries have achieved the iconic status of the Red Pocket fluorites.