HELIODOR
Specimen hel-1

Dims: 1.3" x 1.0" x 0.8" (3.3 x 2.5 x 2.0 cm)

Wt: 19 g

Tajakistan Border area, Russia

This is one of our larger Heliodors- it is basically a cluster of tiny crystals dominated by one very large one. The large crystal is short (1.0", or 2.5 cm long) and chubby (0.8 x 0.5', or 2.0 x 1.3 cm). It has a deep yellow coloration and is mostly opaque due to veil-like inclusions, but is transparent just beneath the termination. As with most Beryls, there is a cluster of tiny books of Muscovite hitching a ride. It is one of the larger specimens that we could find.

Dims: 1-1/4" x 1/4" x 1/4"

Wt: 4 g

Golden Water Mine, California, U.S.A.

The incredible clarity, the deep yellow color, and an excellent termination are all combined to make this one of the best Heliodor specimens in our stock. It has a few veil-like inclusions, but is otherwise very clear and free from flaw, except for a small one just beneath the termination. The termination is one that is commonly found on Beryl, and apart from a deep scratch across the uppermost termination face, is excellent. This is a very high-value specimen that is perfect for one who is collecting samples of rough gems.

Dims: 1-1/4" x 1/4" x 1/8"

Wt: 3 g

Vahoy Vada

This lovely Heliodor crystal has beautiful, deep yellow color with the slightest hint of green and a high degree of clarity. The termination is one of the best I've seen- as a matter of fact, when I first saw the termination, I thought somebody had polished it flat! Upon examination with a 15-power loupe, I could see tiny secondary termination faces at the corners. This is a great crystal, and I personally think one of the best values in our Heliodor selection.

Dims: 2-1/4" x 1/8" x 1/8"

Wt: 3 g

Tajakistan Border area, Russia

How about that? Here we have a real piece of Mother Russia, and a pretty piece it is! This specimen is comprised of one crystal with a parallel formation that looks like another crystal growing up alonside of it, trying to break free. The offshoot terminates cleanly about 3/8 inch from the main termination, which, though rough, is also complete and undamaged. There is a small chip in the crystal just beneath the main termination, but given the incredible clarity and deep yellow color of this crystal, the quality is still choice.

Dims: 0.6" x 0.4" x 0.4" (1.5 x 1.0 x 1.0 cm)

Wt: 13.60 ct

Tajakistan/Russia border area

Though small, this Helodor specimen has excellent crystal form, little damage, and gem-quality yellow color and clarity. It has a hexagonal prismatic form with a complex domed termination that is truncated by a basal face; the edges are all well-defined, and most of the faces are clean, showing a vitreous luster, though a few termination faces show a dull, waxy luster. There are only a few tiny inclusions to mar the crystal's clarity- these appear to have a crystalline form, and one contains some unknown foreign matter. They are so small that it is difficult to determine any detail under 10x magnification- 50 or 100x would be best. It is one of the finest Heliodors that I have seen, and easily worthy of a gemstone.

Dims: 0.4" x 0.4" x 0.4" (1.0 x 1.0 x 1.0 cm)

Wt: 7.70 ct

Tajakistan/Russia border area

This small Heliodor crystal has exceptional clarity and good yellow coloration. It has the hexagonal prismatic form and complex, domed termination that is standard for this mineral, and has very well-defined edges and clean faces that show a vitreous luster. There is a small amount of conchoidal chipping near where the crystal was broken away from its host rock, but no other human-induced damage. Its color is a moderately pale yellow, and it is transparent and so clear that I cannot detect any inclusions whatsoever without magnification- I can't even see any through a standard jeweler's loupe! It would make an excellent specimen because of its crystal form, or could be cut into a nearly flawless gem.

Dims: 0.6" x 0.4" x 0.3" (1.5 x 1.0 x 0.8 cm)

Wt: 7.30 ct

Tajakistan/Russia border area

This small crystal is quite beautiful and special. It has the hexagonal prismatic form with complex domed termination that is common for beryls, and has clean faces and well-defined edges, which accentuate its vitreous luster. There is a geometric "dent" in the termination where another crystal partially intersected it, but there is no human-induced damage that I can see. The crystal has a pale yellow color and is transparent and extremely clear, showing only one large inclusion. That inclusion is a small schorl crystal that was enveloped by the Heliodor as it grew. It is, of course, colored black and has excellent trigonal prismatic form and a very shallow trigonal pyramidal termination. There are almost no internal fractures and no cloudy inclusions surrounding this crystal, so one can see great detail with regard to its form and the striations on its faces. One could conceivably cut this crystal into a gem, but I think that it would only decrease its value and appeal.

Dims: 0.8" x 0.5" x 0.3" (2.0 x 1.3 x 0.8 cm)

Wt: 3.5 g

Tajakistan/Russia border area

I think that this particular specimen is my favorite out of our newest selection of Heliodors. It has excellent hexagonal prismatic form and shows almost no damage. Its edges are well-defined and its faces are clean and show a bright, vitreous luster. It has a few projections near its base that indicate smaller crystals which are mostly intergrown with the larger one. The crystal has a deep yellow coloration and is transparent and quite clear, although one large veil-like inclusion and several small internal fractures make it unsuitable for gemcutting. Nonetheless, it is a very beautiful specimen.

Dims: 1.0" x 0.1" x 0.1" (2.5 x 0.3 x 0.3 cm)

Wt: 0.5 g

Tajakistan/Russia border area

This specimen consists of a single, small hexagonal prismatic Heliodor crystal. The crystal is in excellent condition, showing no damage, and has excellent form, with well-defined edges and faces that are smooth, but not quite clean. All of the prism and most of the secondary termination faces all seem to have a thin coating of some material on them that reduces their luster, or were subjected to growing conditions that affected them. The primary, basal termination face and three of the secondary faces have a bright, vitreouls luster, though. The crystal's color is a rather deep yellow for its size and thickness, and it is transparent and very clear. Such a crystal might be fashioned into a very pretty and unusual pendant.

Dims: 1.2 x 0.3 x 0.3" (3.1 x 0.9 x 0.8 cm)

Wt: 4 g

unknown

This thumbnail specimen consists of a single Heliodor crystal that is in excellent condition, showing almost no damage. It has very good hexagonal prismatic form, though a growth inconsistency has made its basal termination grow on two levels. Its deep golden color and vitreous luster are standard, and it is transparent and moderately clear, containing many internal fractures. There is no host rock present, and it is affixed inside a plastic thumbnail box with an adhesive putty.

Dims: 1.0 x 0.4 x 0.2" (2.4 x 1.1 x 0.6 cm)

Wt: 3 g

unknown (likely Tajikistan/Russia border area)

This interesting Heliodor thumbnail appears to consist of 2 crystals, one of which formed partly around the other. The piece is in good condition- the only noticeable damage is evident where the piece was broken from its base- and though they are intergrown, both crystals have good hexagonal prismatic form. Their golden-yellow color and vitreous luster are standard for the variety and specie. They are transparent and moderately clear, containing inclusions of a dark and spiky mineral that I cannot identify. The piece is affixed inside a standard thumbnail box with an adhesive putty.

Dims: 0.6 x 0.4 x 0.1" (1.4 x 1.0 x 0.3 cm)

Wt: 1 g

unknown (likely Tajikistan/Russian border area)

This small Heliodor crystal is in excellent condition, showing no damage, and has a rather unusual hexagonal form- it is flattened so much along one plane as to appear almost bladed or tabular! Its color is a pale golden-yellow, and it has the standard vitreous luster. It is also transparent and, except for right at its base, almost perfectly clear. There is no base or host rock present, and it is affixed inside a thumbnail box with a removable putty.

Dims: 0.6 x 0.2 x 0.4" (1.4 x 0.6 x 0.5 cm)

Wt: 1 g

unknown (likely Tajakistan/Russia border area)

This small thumbnail piece consists of a section of a broken Heliodor crystal. Though its prism faces are intact, both ends are uneven, showing no signs of natural termination. The crystal has otherwise excellent hexagonal prismatic form and the classic deep golden color and vitreous luster of its specie. It is transparent and moderately clear, containing several veil-like inclusions and internal fractures that are parallel to its basal plane. There is no host rock present, and the piece is affixed inside a plastic specimen box with a removable putty.

Dims: 0.6 x 0.3 x 0.1" (1.5 x 0.7 x 0.3 cm)

Wt: 1 g

Tajikistan/Russia border area

A single, small Heliodor crystal comprises this specimen. It is in good condition, showing almost no damage, and has excellent hexagonal prismatic form. Its color is the standard deep golden, its luster is vitreous, and it is transparent and clear, containing only a few internal flaws. It is affixed to an acrylic base with a removable putty.

Dims: 1.5 x 1.2 x 0.8" (3.9 x 3.0 x 2.1 cm)

Wt: 0.7 oz. (19 g)

Virgem da Lapa, Minas Gerais, Brazil

This small hand specimen consists of a single Heliodor crystal that is in excellent condition, showing almost no visible damage. This crystal has a highly modified hexagonal prismatic form that is so warped that it shows no evidence of a hexagonal outline. All surfaces show the standard vitreous luster. The Heliodor has the classic golden coloration and is transparent and moderately to very clear, showing cloudiness in one area. There is no host rock present.

Dims:1.6x1.5x0.8" (4.1x3.8x2.0 cm)

Wt: 0.8oz. (22g)

Russia

This is a beautiful specimen of heliodor perched on a matrix of albite, pyrite, and what appears to be hornblende. The heliodor crystal is mostly transparent, and measures 1.2x0.2x0.1" (3.0x0.5x0.3cm). This crystal has an excellent basal pinacoid termination. There is a small chip on the side of the crystal at the termination.

Dims:1.2x0.5x0.2" (3.0x1.3x0.5 cm)

Wt: 0.1oz. (2g)

Sapucaia District, Galileia, Minas Gerais, Brazil

This specimen consists of a single irregular crystal of heliodor from brazil. This is a complex little solution crystal, show numerous tiny faces. The terminations on this crystal are indistinct. This piece is nearly all gem quality material, of a pale yellow color. There is no noticeable damage at all on this specimen.

Dims: 1.3 x 1.2 x 0.8" ( 3.2 x 3.0 x 1.9 cm)

Wt: 0.7oz. (19.2g)

Tanjakistan border area, Russia

This Russian heliodor contains multiple stubby crystals and a spray of muscovite. While there are several areas showing damage (some fracture near the base, and some abrasion of a couple of edges and a point), this is still a quite aesthetic specimen. Examination with a loupe shows that some of the inclusions are additional muscovite crystals that were trapped during the growth of the heliodor crystal.

Dims: 1.2x0.9x0.7" (3.0x2.3x1.7cm)

Wt: 0.43 oz. (12.1g)

Zelatoya Veda, near Rangkul, East of Murgab, Tajikistan

This is a very nice crystal of heliodor perched on a crystal of albite. Both are partially covered by a layer of small white mica crystals (probably polylithionite). Both terminations of the heliodor crystal are clean and flat, showing the clarity of the crystal, which is marred by multiple internal fractures and a few small inclusions. There is another mineral present that I cannot identify - it is a light sky-blue color, rather dull and translucent, and shows no crystal form although is may have a fibrous habit.

Dims: 1.2x1.4x1.1" (3.0x3.5x2.7cm)

Wt: 1.0 oz. (28.4g)

Zelatoya Veda, near Rangkul, East of Murgab, Tajikistan

The sides of this heliodor crystal are smooth and transparent, but not the terminations, one of which is covered by the host rock, and the other appears to be a fracture surface. The crystals color is a pale yellow with just a hint of green, and thre are numerous interal fractures blocking the crystal's transparency.

Dims: 1.41x0.28x0.19" (3.58x0.71x0.49cm)

Wt: 10.5ct (2.10g)

Sapucaia district, Galileia, Minas Gerais, Brazil

This heliodor crystal has a pale yellow color, and is quite transparent without visible inclusions. The surface is rough due to a complex growth pattern, and the ends appear to be fracture surfaces. There are deep grooves, one of which is so deep as to be a cavity that nearly penetrates the crystal.