Fluorite

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A single, transparent, pale pastel-green cube of fluorite is perfectly perched on a thin cluster of matrix shards associated with and cemented together by calcite on this classic Russian fluorite from the 1990s. Actually, many of them were mined in the 1980s and only came to market in the 90s, but we thought at that time that they were contemporary even when they were already 10-15 years out and stashed away til the Wall fell (I remember! I was there at the first Tucson when many Russians came!). This is just ideal aesthetics for display: a razor-sharp, totally transparent, 3.5 cm, beautiful, very pale sea-green cube perfectly placed on a shard of matrix and another shard of somewhat crystalline, almost snow-white calcite for great balance and composition. The fluorite crystal is significantly transparent that the both types of matrices can be seen right through it! The crystal has good surface reflectivity and it also contains a few flecks of 0.3 to 2 mm, silvery metallic inclusions that may be galena, and certainly add character to the piece. This captivating crystal is nearly flawless with one, internal, diagonally oriented cleavage trace and a few, barely discernible internal crazes but no damage nor restorations despite it's prominent display. This is just a super aesthetic piece and the fluorite cube is just textbook for old Russian material.