TANZANITE
Specimen tan-9
$ 130.00Dims: 0.5 x 0.5 x 0.1" (1.3 x 1.3 x 0.3 cm)
Wt: 1.1 g
Merelani, Tanzania
This Tanzanite crystal has a rather odd form but is in excellent condition, showing only one small spot of light damage at a termination. Apparently it started out as a singular, flat bladed crystal whose growth was interrupted so as to split it lengthwise. This split caused the crystal to terminate with 2 or 3 distinct, shallow pinacoidal terminations. Other than this oddity, it has very good orthorhombic form, with well-defined edges and striated but clean faces that show the standard vitreous luster. It does not appear to have been heat-treated, and so shows a pale blue color from some angles, and a slightly deeper blue-violet tinge from others. It is transparent and partly clear, but contains several internal fractures and a few inclusions. Other interference is provided by a small amount of a host rock that fills the crevice between the terminations.