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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! Rain and I liked it immediately for the strong contrast between its scalloped bands and cubes of gleaming metals, and believe me when I say it's even more attractive in hand. After the striking pattern, you'll notice it's very VERY heavy, surprisingly so! Just awesome stuff, quite perfectly fascinating. One thing that isn't well revealed in these photos are the sparkling gleam in the shiny silver areas; it's strange to find they appear crystalline, though the surface is smooth. This substantial cab has a very high rounded dome of about 7.5mm, and despite a few small natural hairlines naturally healed, it has a fabulous polish front and back.
Size: 35x26 mm
Weight: approximately 91 carats
Sold
Current gemstone offerings $88.00
 Schalenblende
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