316,00 USD
So, if you're familiar with sphalerite, then you're probably already drooling. If not, then allow me to introduce you! Imagine if you will, a museum quality yellow/orange diamond... now imagine that on STEROIDS. That is what sphalerite looks like. Like sphene, sphalerite is one of the very few natural gemstones which has a higher refractive index and greater dispersion (the rainbow 'fire' that a diamond gives off) than a diamond. The trade off, however, is that sphalerite is much too soft to be used in jewelry. It has a hardness of 3.5-4 on the Mohs scale, making it more of a collector's stone. It could potentially be set in a pendant, but extreme care must be taken. I would recommend an experienced jeweler who has worked with the stone in the past.
Gem quality sphalerite is extremely rare, and has been almost exclusively found in one region of Spain. Very little new material has been found in many years. Most of the sphalerite on the market today comes from that original find, and unless a new deposit is discovered, it is unlikely that new material will become available.
This particular stone is a very healthy size and very clean. It weighs in at 3.16 carats, measures 9 x 6 x 5mm deep and is VVS clarity. The dispersion is difficult to capture in the photographs, but you can see a hint of it. In person this stone makes diamond look boring :)
All my stones are hand-cut by me, and the stone you are buying is always the stone pictured. Please see my shop policies for more information, or feel free to contact me with your questions and feedback.
Thanks for looking and have a wonderful day!