Natural Grandidierite 5.65ct 12.8x9mm Cushion Cut

The most evenly colored stone among the faceted grandidierites here. The body is a soft medium seafoam, green with a clear blue lean, and it holds that tone across almost the whole face instead of breaking into patches the way most material of this species does. The texture is translucent with a silky internal sheen, so light moves through it softly rather than flashing. A handful of dark pinpoint crystals sits scattered through the middle third, a short fine fissure runs near the upper left shoulder, and a pale creamy zone lifts the lower right corner. The facets are broad and shallow, cut to hold the color across the full 12.8mm length.

Even color is the hardest thing to find in grandidierite, since the rough usually carries matrix and zoning right through it, and cutters generally have to work around both. This stone is untreated. At 7 to 7.5 on the Mohs scale it is durable enough for a ring, and the elongated cushion outline suits an east-west setting or a pendant where the length can be shown off. A good choice if you want the species represented by a stone that reads as one clean color.

Natural grandidierite, Madagascar, sold loose.