SHOWCASE #1

SPECIMENS FOR SALE, Priced from $100.00 to $999.99

(Work in progress - being updated in early 2015)

Pictures are thumbnails - click on images for full resolution photos. Specimens here are representative of our inventory, so if you don't see exactly what you are looking for please email us at wheierman@corunduminium.com and I will try to find it. If you are interested in a particular specimen, please refer to it using the reference in the left column. I can send addiitional images, or in some cases, send it to you on approval for no fee.

Pictures are thumbnails - click on images for full resolution photos.

We prefer to do business the good, old-fashioned way; but if paying by check or money order we may require clearance of funds prior to shipment. We can take PayPal payments, but are not set up for credit cards.

We do combine shipments (or you may pick your stones up) and we can offer reduced prices on multiple orders, depending on whose specimens are involved and how much discretion we have. We prefer to ship by U.S. Mail (First Class, Priority, or Parcel Post). For heavy items or lots, Flat Rate Priority seems to be the best way to ship.

Prices mentioned include domestic shipping costs by U. S. Mail.

Last updated December 23, 2010.

Renovation in progress.

1: GEM MOUNTAIN, MONTANA ( ROCK CREEK ) (Sold)

cc-5

This 3.35 carat clean gem crystal (from the Gem Mountain property along Rock Creek between Hamilton and Philipsburg) is doubly terminated and quite euhedral, showing almost no evidence of water wear or resorption. The yellow center in an otherwise very pale green stone is also unusual. It may be possible to cut the stone as a round so that it appears yellow due to reflection of the center. I would keep this one as a specimen, however. It is natural and untreated - just the way it came out of the ground! $510.00; domestic shipment by insured mail included.

2: GEM MOUNTAIN, MONTANA ( ROCK CREEK ) (Sold)

cc-2

This somewhat wafery stone weighing about 5.25 carats measures about 1/2" across (unusually large for a Gem Mountain sapphire) and 3/32" thick. Its body color is actually a little darker bluish greenish yellowish (sometimes affectionately called "regurgitreuse" in the trade). The dings around the edges appear to be from glacial transport rather than clumsiness of the wash plant operator. It is a textbook example of elevated triangles on the basal pinacoid of a corundum crystal, and large enough to show them very well. It is natural and untreated. $200.00; domestic shipment by insured mail included.

3: GEM MOUNTAIN, MONTANA ( ROCK CREEK ) (Sold)

cc-50

This is a fine gem sapphire crystal, which should produce one or two rounds of fine medium blue or ice blue color, as indicated in the photo taken down the C-axis on the left. The near right photo is taken from the other end, and shows a little silk, which seems to be confined near the surface and could be avoided by placing the culet carefully. It weighs about 3.70 carats, and measures about 5/16" long by 7/32" in diameter. It is natural and untreated. $600.00; domestic shipment by insured mail included.

4: GEM MOUNTAIN , MONTANA ( ROCK CREEK ) (Sold)

cc-89

This heat treated sapphire from Gem Mountain weighs 1.72 carats, and because of its elongated habit it would cut three or four small pale green rounds. It is about 3/8" long and 5/32" in diameter. Its somewhat waxy surface is cue to the cooking, which allows surface tension to "smooth over" some of the surface growth or etching microfeatures. $155; domestic shipment by insured mail included.

5: NORTH CAROLINA (Jacobs Mine, Cowee Valley) (Returned to owner)

rd-1-267

This tabular, gemmy Jacobs Mine crystal weighs 2.67 carats, and is doubly terminated (better than the pctures show). It is somewhat wafery, and has a pearly luster. I would not cab or facet it, but would keep it as a superb mini-thumbnail crystal. It is natural and untreated. $675.00; domestic shipment by insured mail included in price.

6: NORTH CAROLINA (Jacobs Mine, Cowee Valley) (Returned to owner)

rd-1-152

This 1.52 carat gem from the Jacobs Mine is probably of the kind that made George F. Kunz remark that only North Carolina had pigeon-blood rubies as fine as the Burmese. In sunlight, it is spectacular, even though it is not as euhedral as some of the others. It is tabular, slightly layered, and doubly terminated. I might cut this one, but probably not. It is natural and untreated. $380.00; domestic shipment by insured mail included in price.

7: NORTH CAROLINA (Jacobs Mine, Cowee Valley) (Sold)

rd-3-103

This one has all the attributes of the finest Jacobs Mine crystals, except that it is not three feet across. It's only 1.03 carats, but what a lovely gem it is; with elevated triangles on both terminal faces! If this one does not sell quickly, I may buy it for our collection. Let sunlight pass through it, and see the transmitted light red and fluorescent blue of a fine Burmese ruby; but this one is American! It is natural and untreated. $300.00; domestic shipment by insured mail included in price.

8: NORTH CAROLINA (Jacobs Mine, Cowee Valley) (Sold)

rd-3-123

This This doubly terminated 1.23 carat crystal is a gem! It is not not water clear, but the body color does not get better than this! It might be faceted, but I would keep it as an example of the American ruby crystals that Tiffany gemologist George F. Kunz likened to the finest Burmese. It measures about 3/16" between parallel lateral faces and about 1/8" thick (along the C-axis). $350.00; domestic shipment by insured mail included in price.

9: BERYL, var. EMERALD [BRAZIL] (Sold)

Decent hex outline, huge broken crystal about 2-3/4 inches in diameter in specimen weighing about 6 pounds, 14 ounces. $900

10: RUBY / SAPPHIRE CRYSTAL [VIET NAM] (Available)

ln-2

Many Luc Yen rubies have blue sapphire cores, and this is a superb example. It measures about 1-1/4 inches in diameter and almost 2 inches long, and it weighs about 107 grams. Because it is incomplete, the interior is naturally exposed - the crystal is undamaged - a true rarity! $450 (domestic shipping included)

11: RUBY PLATE [VIET NAM] (Returned to owner)

ln-3

This platy specimen from Luc Yen features an aftergrowth of gemmy, extremely saturated ruby on a base of semitranslucent blue, purple, and red corundum. It weighs about 35 grams and measures about 1-7/8 inches by 1-1/2 inches by 1/2 inch thick. It is one of the finest of this habit that I have seen. $300 (domestic shipping included)

12: BADAKHSHAN, TAJIKISTAN SAPPHIRE (Sold)

aaj-1

This specimen is fist-sized (3-1/2" wide by 3-1/4" high by2-1/2" deep) and is from "Viloyati Mukhtori Gorno, Badakhshan, Pamir Mts., Tajikistan." The main crystal of dark blue to white sapphire is slightly over 2-1/2" long. It is not terminated, and one can see the crystal is transversely parted with matrix filling the gaps between the sections. The matrix itself is laced with numerous smaller elongated pyramidal crystals of white to dark blue color (particularly evident in the sawn base (far right image), accentuated with small books of a light colored mica (phlogopite or margarite?). Here and there you can see linear sawmarks where the matrix was attacked to expose the sapphire crystals. $360.00; domestic shipment by insured mail included.

13: BADAKHSHAN, TAJIKISTAN SAPPHIRE (Sold)

aaj-2

This is another small fist specimen (3-1/2" wide by 1-3/4" high by 3" deep) from "Viloyati Mukhtori Gorno, Badakhshan, Pamir Mts., Tajikistan." The crystals are not terminated, probably because they were naturally parted and spaces between sections were filled with matrix. This has a particularly large portion of corundum, and it is impressive if not perfectly preserved. $560.00; domestic shipment by insured mail included.

14: BADAKHSHAN, TAJIKISTAN SAPPHIRE (Sold)

aaj-3

This 2-3/8" long sapphire crystal is well terminated on the top. but not on the bottom. It is in matrix, mostly muscovite mica, measuring about 3" wide and 2" deep. It would make a fine small cabinet specimen or office paperweight (but lock it in your drawer over the weekends). $560.00; domestic shipment by insured mail included.