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Description
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Schalenblende cab ~
Offered here is a very special collector's cab of schalenblende, from Olkusz, Poland, something I'd never seen in cabochon form until I cut one a few months back. I'm told the moniker is German, meaning "shell ore", and that its concentric-layered structure is composed of four minerals in distinct successive bands: The yellowish brown is wurtzite, the dark brown is sphalerite, the bright chrome is galena, and the brassy metallics are marcasite. Quite a mouthful, but to be honest, I can scarcely tell them apart. Rain and I liked this material immediately for the strong contrast between its scalloped bands and cubes of gleaming metals, (with crystalline sparkles!) and believe me when I say it's even more attractive in hand. After the unusual pattern, you'll notice it's very VERY heavy, surprisingly so! Just awesome stuff, quite perfectly fascinating. This substantial cab has a very high rounded dome of 7mm, a designer 'bullet' shape, and despite a few small natural voids (and hairlines naturally filled with metal), it has a fabulous polish on both sides.
Size: 57x15 mm
Weight: approximately 112 carats
Sold
Current gemstone offerings $109.00
 Schalenblende
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