HELIODOR
Specimen hel-7
$ 160.00Dims: 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.