6.23 ct. Zambian ‘Trapiche’ Tourmaline
Color: Dark Green
Clarity: Translucent
Origin: Zambia
Cut: Polished Slice
Treatments: None
Measurements: 15 x 10.4 x 4.6 mm
A very fine and acutely interesting gem from this very limited (and now older) find in Zambia. Originally thought to be Emerald when found these, quite unusually, tested out as Tourmaline. This is not a growth pattern that is common at all in Tourmaline and to have the graphite inclusions forming this lovely approximation of a trapiche pattern is quite rare. Of the stones we have seen, the pattern here is the most complex we have seen, the three ‘spokes’ being wholly surrounded by even more bright green Tourmaline, itself with black radiating spokes. This highly unusual (perhaps unique) form may be due to the stone being cut from the very termination of the Tourmaline crystal, the terminated faces still being apparent on the reverse of the stone. A wild and rare Tourmaline for the specialist.