2.27 ct. Cat’s Eye Spinel
Color: Very Dark Slightly Violetish-Grey
Clarity: Transparent
Origin: Ratnapura, Sri Lanka
Cut: Round Cabochon
Treatments: None
Measurements: 7.7 mm
Spinel is not a species that lends itself easily to this phenomenon; stars can be had but these are always opaque and have a milky appearance. It is just happenstance that the right inclusions were orientated correctly to produce the effect seen here - the stone has a series of coarse needle-like inclusions that give a fairly respectable chatoyancy. While very dark, the stone is fully transparent with a dark grey bodycolor as well. A fine stone and a true rarity for the lover of phenomena.