Tourmaline Var. Bi-color Elbaite

This gem quality bi-colored indicolite-verdelite tourmaline is also a double terminated floater. It has a complex termination on one end and a flatter termination on the other (both pictured, with backlighting to exhibit color zoning). The color is rich, moving from classic green to a lighter blue. The first image was photographed by Jeff Scovil, at this most recent Springfield show. (He thought it an ideal candidate to demonstrate a key photographic method he employs when shooting Tourmaline, so he shot it for free!). It is free from any damage. It was mined around 2005, when I originally acquired it. It was sold to Steve Dowell and later we got it back as an important piece in his entire collection. It weighs 78.5 grams (392 carats). It comes with a custom Lucite base. 

This piece has real eye-appeal, as well as a "proper," size as it fills the hand well. The Pakistan/Afganistan mineral market has skyrocketted in the last 3 years, leaving very few high end crystals available for purchase for anything less than a ridiculously high price. In Tucson I would imagine a crystal of this caliber being priced in the $100 per gram range or higher.