Detailed information
Species
Elbaite
Dimensions
15 x 62 x 15
mm
Weight
22 g
Locality
Jos Plateau Plateau Nigeria
Condition
No recorded repairs
At 6.2 cm in length this tri-colour gemmy individual Elbaite crystal is a superb example of how good the gem tourmalines from Jos Plateau, Nigeria can be. With a very short, naturally etched, sceptred base, this quite robust terminated prismatic crystal shows fine translucency allowing its rich colours to come alive with good directional lighting. Beginning with a pale pink lower third, its colour shifts to a very pale blue before transitioning to lime-green before intensifying to a deep bottle-green tip. Its termination, although slightly rounded, is a classic tourmaline-style pyramid and is complete, but with one side stepped down to a smaller termination from a parallel identically coloured Elbaite crystal attached seemlessly to one side. Ex R & J Mayes Collection, no. RJM166, acquired by them in 1979 from R. Holt. A top quality, older Nigerian gem tourmaline.