1.35 ct. Ludlamite
Color: Medium Dark Green
Clarity: Transparent
Origin: Blackbird Mine, Salmon, Lehmi Co., Idaho
Cut: Freeform Step
Treatments: None
Measurements: 9 x 6.7 mm
One of the great US rarities and quite often absent from many collections. Ludlamite is a rare phosphate mineral that has a classic source in the Blackbird Mine of Lemhi Co., Idaho. Most facet grade material comes from older specimens, so these are exceedingly rare in the market. Excellent transparency (not always the case) and superb cutting, another rarity given the Moh's hardness of only 3 1/2. Quite brilliant and very lovely with the classic 'apple' green bodycolor. Simply huge for the species.
This gem has a fine historic provenance as well - it hails from the great C. D. Parsons collection that was assembled over many decades and included some of the great rarities often photographed for GIA and publication in gem guides. This fine gem comes with Parsons’ original stone paper and label.