0.50 ct. Opal with Realgar

A most interesting piece, both from the perspective of opal and as an inclusion specimen.  Realgar is not an easily collected mineral, it is soft and relatively unstable.  That and it is arsenic sulfide, so faceting is not to be taken lightly.  As nature would have it, the mineral is also a stunning red color, saturated and pure.  This little gem nicely solves the problem by encasing the Realgar in translucent Opal - an inclusion combination that we have not seen prior to this find.  The result is a stable gem that allows you to admire that superb red.  This is an extremely limited find and you are unlikely to see this material offered elsewhere.. 

$95 total