Top Sillimanite/ Fibrolite Catseye??

[chictomato]

Hi there! I had some of these Sillimanite/ Fibrolite Catseye approx 10 carats each. They have very sharp catseye. Seems very dark purple IRL (quite close to the 1st photo) Is this consider a top color for Sillimanite/ Fibrolite Catseye? I had tried looking up previous threads, but couldn't gather much info. It is describe as a rare stone. Just how rare is it? How much should a stone of this quality sell on ebay? Is $100 are reasonable price to pay? TIA

 

[chictomato]

 

[LD]

I may be way of base here but I'm pretty sure the one in your photo is Sillimanite because it's coloured. The colourless version would be Fibrolite.

I don't think they're "rare" so that they command a high price per carat. When you see them, you can buy them pretty inexpensively. However, they're not common and you don't see them for sale everywhere.

Yours is a lovely colour with a great eye and a good size so I would think that's a very nice example.

ETA: Just found some great photos showing the different colourways. Scroll down the page to the bottom.

http://www.realgems.org/list_of_gemstones/sillimanite.html&usg=__wAqc5ekVk--CxzBbOO4d4F8mnLo=&h=300&w=467&sz=42&hl=en&start=31&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=vuz0FVijUAdDXM:&tbnh=82&tbnw=128&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dsillimanite%26start%3D20%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26sa%3DN%26rlz%3D1W1TSEA_enGB307%26ndsp%3D20%26tbs%3Disch:1

ETA2: found more here with an indication of price per carat (but these are much smaller than yours) http://www.vistagems.net/products.php?pg=10

 

[chrono]

The more common black brown sillimanite cat''s-eyes, while it has an unusually sharp eye, does not have an attractive body colour, as you''ve seen in the profile picture. It may be uncommon but part of its unmarketableness stems from the body colour and opaqueness. It is the transparent facetable crystals that are truly rare and at least quite attractive in its own way. The material you''ve shown seem to go for around $40 to $100, even for a 10 ct piece.

 

[chictomato]

Hi Loving diamonds and chrono thank you for the input

I was given 4 of these, thought of keeping the best one for myself and selling the rest on ebay. Do let me know which is the best out of the four and the reason being? 3 of these are lighter in body color, all 4 have sharp eyes. do et me know your view! TIA

eta: All 4 are translucent, I would say that the 3 lighter colored ones are more translucent.

 

[chictomato]

oops sorry here''s the photo

 

[chictomato]

Date: 3/22/2010 10:24:24 PM
Author: chictomato
oops sorry here's the photo

Eta: The 1st (from the left) is transparent and the rest is translucent, the 3rd is the darkest. 1st and 3rd display the sharpest eye. Color in this photo is close to real life. Do let me know which to pick TIA