1.35 ct. Mozambique Stibiotantalite
Color: Medium Dark Yellow
Clarity: Eye Clean
Origin: Mozambique
Cut: Octagonal
Treatments: None
Measurements: 5.7 x 5.1 mm
All things considered, probably one of the rarest of collector's gems to find in the market today in this quality. What little material was ever available came from Mozambique decades ago and has long since disappeared. You can visit many a gem show today without seeing a single faceted Stibio. And yet, the appetite for these has never subsided as the species has all the attractions of a good rare stone - very high optical properties, a great luster and a bright color. An exceptionally interesting material, Stibiotantalite in fact has one of the highest refractive indexes in the gem world (2.37-2.45) and a very high specific gravity at around 6.7 (vs. 4.6 for Zircon and 3.5 for Diamond). Furthermore it is reasonably hard and is capable of taking a great polish. This is a fantastic collection stone with a precision US cut. With full GIA cert as well.