GEM SPHALERITE crystals on matrix - Height: 4.2 cm - Width: 5.1 cm- 37 g - (1)

This is one of the sphalerite pieces that came out of China in 2020 after a long hiatus with no production since the discoveries made in Rucheng during the early 2000's. It features a complex globular single crystal of red gem sphalerite accompanied by a few similar smaller ones, all of them being set on top of a dark matrix of needle quartz crystals. The transparency of the sphalerite is excellent, but the lack of sufficient space for light to enter from the side necessitated the carving of a couple of windows through the matrix, precisely leaving just enough of it to allow light transmission without going into the sphalerite in such a way that it allows the backlighting of the crystals in a similar way as the red embers garnets.