Let’s Play Clue – January 8, 2015

Red Sunstone
9.27 carats
15.3×15.5×9.2 mm, Trillian
Valued at $5850

What ranges in color from butterscotch, to orange, green, to red with some of the most prominent deposits located in the U.S.? Give up? Breathtaking sunstones! One need not travel to Tanzania or Tajikistan to behold a sunstone. This particular gem, unearthed from the Dust Devil Mine, was born in the state of Oregon. When the eye is blessed enough to behold such a jewel, it may seem irrelevant how it came to be. Yet these gem feldspar crystals are unique, nurtured over millions of years in hardened molten rock. In Oregon, a volcanic eruption 14 million years ago spewed lava over a significant portion of Oregon. Drying and weather exposure led to decomposition of the molten rock, exposing loose feldspar crystals the world now knows as Sunstone.

While Sunstones share genetics with other feldspar stars, including Moonstones and Labradorite, the slightly varied chemical compositions and crystal structures can lead to vastly different appearances among the family members.

Not every gem cutter is capable of unlocking Sunstone’s greatest beauty. In this case a Las Vegas Detective with a passion for gems, fashioned this arresting cut exposing its brilliance and clarity. This stone’s substantial size and striking color, coupled with its superior cut make it a collector’s dream gem.