Sugilite from N'Chwaning III Mine, N'Chwaning Mines, Northern Cape, South Africa

The piece has royal purple bands of parallel fibrous, shimmering and very chatoyant sugilite alternating with bands of comparatively drab lavender-coloured sugilite, all sandwiched between thin external layers of grey-black shale. I was informed that this is one of only five significant such fibrous pieces found and it was bought by Marshall Sussman on a trip to Namibia.

Photo by László Kupi