I''m getting a cuprite - yay!!

[T L]

I found this stone by a USA facetor on ebay. He facets extremely rare material, and I got the stone for very little. I cannot wait to get it. I've been wanting a cuprite in my collection for years. It's 5.54 carats, and one small inclusion (they're often heavily included) in a very interesting seven sided cut. They have amazing refractive abilities, similar to sphalerite, and they have a metallic luster. It's too soft for jewelry, but I just want it to look at. You can't see the luster here, but imagine a crystal, that when light hits the facets, the shine on the facet looks like a grey metal. It's so fascinating.

Here's another one on ebay from lembeckgems, but it's smaller and more than three times the price. It is VS however.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=110327805945

 

[chrono]

I know, I've been eyeing that cuprite at Lembecks but wasn't sure if I wanted something that costs $$ just sitting in my collection. I hope this one works out well for you, TL.

 

[T L]

For the price he was asking for this one, I couldn't resist. I almost bought the Lembeck one, but I'm glad I didn't. I'm pretty excited. I know how you feel though, I would have a hard time paying $$$$$$$ just to have it sit around. However, I have been dying to get a cuprite for ages, and all the ones I see are small and pretty badly cut. You have to be a very expert cutter to cut these stones due to their softness and cleavage. You rarely ever see them on ebay in their pure crystal gemmy form as well.

It's really amazing to me that many crystals with these high RI's are a component of metallic ore, like sphalerite. Curprite is nothing more than copper and oxygen in it's elemental form. It will probably be dark unless highly illuminated, but the thing I like is when light hits the facets, the facet turns to a hematite luster. You really can't see that well in the above photo though.

 

[mochi]

I can''t wait for you to get it. I''m so interested in how it looks in RL.

 

[T L]

Date: 1/19/2009 9:00:04 AM
Author: mochi
I can''t wait for you to get it. I''m so interested in how it looks in RL.

Thanks Mochi,
I will post pictures, but my camera stinks, so they might not be the best.

 

[mochi]

Just send the stone to me, I''ll take a few pictures!!

 

[T L]

Well, I can''t wait to see pics of your gorgeous crysoberyl!!

 

[chrono]

Sorry for the hijack but I too am curious to see your chrysoberyl. The colour looks very good; if it turns out well, maybe I''ll give Gene a heads up to cut another one for me.

 

[CharmyPoo]

Congrats!! It is gorgeous. I can''t wait to see your photos of it.

 

[mochi]

Battery is charging as we speak. Should be here anytime now!!

 

[platinumrock]

I have never heard of cuprite, but I love the color nonetheless! Can''t wait to see more pics! I''m curious to see the silvery sparkles.

I learn something new from the Colored Stone forum everyday.

 

[Diamond*Dana]

It looks gorgeous in the pictures, such a pretty color! I am excited for your pictures!

 

[T L]

Here''s another cuprite where you can see the metallic luster better.

http://www.thegemtrader.com/june%2008%20Cuprite%20Page.htm

 

[Brown.Eyed.Girl]

Wow TL that''s soo pretty! I can''t wait to see more pics!

 

[T L]

I got my cuprite today, and it is a really fascinating stone. When you turn it in different positions, the facets facing a light source look like they''re clad in armour. It''s a dark stone, and it has red flashes when it''s illuminated. Here''s the first pic.

When no light is hitting the facets, you see red flash, and it looks like a pyrope garnet.

 

[mochi]

Nice... Love the shape/cut.

TL, did you get a new camera?

 

[T L]

Here's a picture of the hematite luster, which is really difficult to photograph. In person, the shine on this stone looks like grey metal.

 

[T L]

Date: 1/24/2009 10:10:34 PM
Author: mochi
Nice... Love the shape/cut.

TL, did you get a new camera?

No, I tried using night mode with my macro for the first time, are the shots better? Thanks, the cutting is superb. It's not the brightest stone in the world, and suffers from a ton of extinction, but I already knew that. These are highly collectible because they're super rare and because of the luster. It's basically crystallized copper. Fascinating stone. It does have sparkle, like tiny embers of fire in there. He really did an awesome job cutting it. This was from facetorjay on ebay. He also wrote me this note that came with it. He even had a picture of the crystal formation of copper on the note - tetrahexahedrol. Try saying that ten times fast!!

I've found that only round or triangular cuts work well with cuprite - this stone has seven sides in order to divide the reflections of each facet, and does return a decent amount of direct light.

 

[platinumrock]

TL, she is a beauty!!! I love the reddish purple color. You''re right, I do see the unique armor-like shine. They remind me of sparkly armadillo scales. What are you going to do with this unique stone?

 

[T L]

Date: 1/24/2009 11:08:52 PM
Author: platinumrock
TL, she is a beauty!!! I love the reddish purple color. You're right, I do see the unique armor-like shine. They remind me of sparkly armadillo scales. What are you going to do with this unique stone?

PR, you are so sweet, thank you.

I will keep it in a box forever so I can admire it from afar. Unfortunatley, this stone is too soft to use in jewelry. It does look exactly like a rhodolite garnet I have except the rhodolite is not as extinct, and has no metallic luster.

 

[T L]

One more pic which I hope captures the unique luster on this stone.

 

[platinumrock]

Date: 1/24/2009 11:21:25 PM
Author: tourmaline_lover
One more pic which I hope captures the unique luster on this stone.

I see a silvery/grayish sheen on the table. Is this what you were referring to?

 

[T L]

Date: 1/25/2009 12:21:18 AM
Author: platinumrock

Date: 1/24/2009 11:21:25 PM
Author: tourmaline_lover
One more pic which I hope captures the unique luster on this stone.

I see a silvery/grayish sheen on the table. Is this what you were referring to?

Yes, but it''s a lot more evident in person. It reminds me of an object that''s clad in metal.

 

[CharmyPoo]

Very cool stone and I love the way it is cut. It sounds like the cutter had a special liking for the stone too

 

[T L]

Date: 1/25/2009 11:56:19 AM
Author: CharmyPoo
Very cool stone and I love the way it is cut. It sounds like the cutter had a special liking for the stone too

He specializes in very rare stones, and it is expertly cut. You really have to know what you''re doing to cut and polish a soft stone like a cuprite. I''m looking forward to purchasing more from him in the future. He has some really nice material. It''s not super cheap. You''re not going to win a stone for .99 (ha!!), but I like his honesty and I think I got an awesome price on this stone. It''s 5 carats and the one Lembeck was selling was about a carat smaller, and Lembeck wanted over three times as much. The clarity is superb and the shine and polish are excellent. I think one of the things many people overlook in a finely cut stone is polish, and it''s even more evident on a stone like this.

Thank you for the kind words everyone.

 

[T L]

During daytime with diffused light coming through my blinds, there are so many very red firey embers coming out of this stone. It is really lively during the day as you tilt it and turn it. Unfortunatley, again, my camera lacks the ability to show the true redness and fire coming from the stone. Here it is as I tilt it toward the window. At the same time, you see gun metal grey shine off some of the facets. All the previous shots were taken in a dim room at night.

 

[Brown.Eyed.Girl]

Very pretty TL! What a beautiful rich color - I really wish I could see it IRL - I bet it would be incredible!

 

[TravelingGal]

That metal sheen is fascinating! I have to agree...colored gems are way way harder to photograph than diamonds.

Congrats on your latest acquisition!

 

[marcy]

Very pretty stone. You have a wonderful collection.