A beautiful rhodochrosite from the Capillitas mining district, in the Catamarca Province of Argentina. This material is well-known amongst collectors, as this is the only locality in the world that produces these banded stalactites and concretions of layered rhodochrosite. It is known colloquially as "Inca Rose", although there is no evidence to support that the deposit was exploited so long ago. It first appears in the literature in 1873, though natives likely mined the placer deposits for gold in pre-Colombian times. It is stunning when cut and polished, often showing beautiful patterns and layered growth - much like the rings on the cross section of a tree.
This is one of the finer specimens I have seen come from the recent production. It is a large grouping of intergrown stalactites. The front face has been sawn and polished to reveal a stunning pattern of intense red rhodochrosite, both banded and stalactites. The stalactites show full centers that look like eyes, while the banded generations form layers. The different layers tend to alternate between light pink and deep red, creating wonderful contrast. I certainly consider this a collectors piece and would not suggest a lapidary cut it further, but it does have significant lapidary potential. It is free of any damage worth mentioning and it comes with a custom acrylic base, milled and engraved in house by our master carver, Jacob.
Dimensions: 4.4 x 3.27 x 3.05 in (11.1 x 8.3 x 7.7 cm)
