SPHENE

This is a natural untreated stone ready for setting.I havent given a grading as this stone has some inclusions-most stones in this price area will have inclusions howere it is a delightful stone with some rainbow colours reflecting off it.We have taken the stone on a mirror so you can see the cutting and also a photo of the back of the stone in full sunlight.

WEIGHT 4.45

Sphene (or Titanite) is a rare collector gemstone with an unusually high refractive index and a hardness of 5 -5.5. Sphene is named from the greek word for wedge, because of its typical wedge shaped crystal habit Because of its high dispersion and refractive index, a well cut sphene can display stunning brilliance. Sphene is somewhat soft and as a result more suitable as a pendant than as a ring stone.

Sphene is widely distributed as an accessory mineral, particularly in coarse-grained igneous rocks such as syenite, nepheline syenite, diorite and granodiorite. It occurs similarly in schists or gneisses and in some metamorphosed limestones. Collectors appreciate its crystals, in which twinning is common, as well as the striking appearance of the faceted gemstones.