Star Rose Quartz – 1,179.55 Cts. Sri Lanka Rose...

Star Rose Quartz – 1,179.55 Cts. Sri Lanka Rose Quartz is a popular variety of Quartz due to its lovely hue and occasional optical properties. This substantial spherical dome 'cabochon' has been masterfully cut to prominently feature a striking six-rayed star known as an asterism. Weighing nearly 1,180 carats, the huge specimen exhibits a lovely light pink hue similar to bubble gum and is transparent, with a fairly sharp, well-centered, white six-rayed star with each ray reaching the girdle. Rose Quartz is formed in pegmatite pockets, mostly in Brazil, but this fine example hails from Sri Lanka. These growing environments allow the material to develop in unique ways and absorb neighboring Rutile inclusions. These microscopic Rutile inclusions create a star when hit with direct light due to several series of parallel inclusions, in this case, as three intersecting light bands. The high spherical dome features a nice polish, while the backside remains more natural. A few internal inclusions are visible on the backside, and there is one small inclusion near the girdle, but the focus is on the dome, where this optical phenomenon is highly visible. Rose Quartz is notoriously hard to fashion with asterisms, and it is hard to align the star in the center due to difficulty locating the c-axis, making this one large and exceptional example of highly sought-after material. Measurements: 54.86 x 56.44 x 56.40 mm, 1,179.55 cts. HID09710052018 © 2024 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved