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 Post subject: Amethyst from... Italy!
PostPosted: Mon Apr 02, 2012 7:48 am 
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We are used to see tons of amethyst from Southern America, and quite a lot from Africa too. There's some also in US. But what about Europe, and Italy in particular?

In the Alps, there's some, but it's usually rather light in tone, and very rare. In Alpine-type fissures is rarely found, usually with cool "scepter" growth forms. Sometimes associated with pink-reddish fluorite (that is usually associated with smoky quartz, way more frequent, btw). These are very showy and sought-after minerals around the area of the Monte Bianco, to cite a classic location. But there are a few exceptions.

In the South-Western Alps, in Italy, there is a mine of iron ore near the town of Traversella. This deposit is related to the contact metamorphism caused by the "Traversella pluton" (Oligocene). There, in 1959, there was a "legendary" discovery of a single amethyst pocket in the mine. That pocked was not cultivated and eventually that section of the mine collapsed and very few samples of that amethyst were recovered. Almost all the crystals available today have been collected from the debris in/around the mine.

A colleague of mine had a broken crystal with a nice clean portion, so asked me to cut a gemstone out of it. How could I pass on such a offer? Well, this is the true meaning of "Made in Italy": an Italian stone cut by an Italian guy. :D

There was a big stress fracture to deal with and it was running while preforming the stone... but at the end it was not a big issue, even if I was quite worried. At the end I got a very flashy flawless 7.0 ct. stone. The location makes this stone extremely rare. And it's pretty too. :) (Plus there's room for a small another one, for me, from another fragment 8) )
Image

You can appreciate the rarity of this amethyst by checking this page on Palagems, where a picture of a Traversella amethyst crystal is displayed in the context of an exhibition of Alpine minerals:
Image
This amethyst from Piedmont, Italy, from the collection of Pala’s Bill Larson, will be displayed in Munich as part of an exhibit of Traversella specimens. It measures 15 x 6.5 cm. (15 x 3.5 cm. crystal alone). (Photo: Mia Dixon)
(quoting their caption)

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 Post subject: Re: Amethyst from... Italy!
PostPosted: Mon Apr 02, 2012 8:27 am 
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Wow! W L'Italia! ;-)
Ciao Maialetto!

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 Post subject: Re: Amethyst from... Italy!
PostPosted: Mon Apr 02, 2012 8:50 am 
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Great stone! The cutting looks top notch, Maia.
Wonderful back story. I had never heard of this deposit until now. Thanks for the educational information!

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 Post subject: Re: Amethyst from... Italy!
PostPosted: Mon Apr 02, 2012 10:18 am 
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 Post subject: Re: Amethyst from... Italy!
PostPosted: Mon Apr 02, 2012 11:18 pm 
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8) Lovely work and ammy Marco. Glad to hear you have a wee chunk for yourself as a keepsake.

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 Post subject: Re: Amethyst from... Italy!
PostPosted: Mon Apr 02, 2012 11:31 pm 
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HOLY BALLS MARCO, that's awesome! Sounds crazy rare, how large is that stone?

(Can you post the design? :mrgreen: )


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 Post subject: Re: Amethyst from... Italy!
PostPosted: Tue Apr 03, 2012 3:11 am 
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That is a work of art. Lovely cutting and sounds like it couldn't be rarer. Bravo!


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 Post subject: Re: Amethyst from... Italy!
PostPosted: Fri Apr 06, 2012 3:14 am 
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Nice work Marco, well done!!! :D =D> 8)
ciao
albé

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 Post subject: Re: Amethyst from... Italy!
PostPosted: Sun Apr 08, 2012 3:20 pm 
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Now I have a stone for myself...
Image
"My preciouuussss..." :mrgreen:

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Last edited by maialetto on Sun Apr 15, 2012 3:57 am, edited 1 time in total.

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 Post subject: Re: Amethyst from... Italy!
PostPosted: Sun Apr 08, 2012 4:16 pm 
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That is beautiful, Marco.

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 Post subject: Re: Amethyst from... Italy!
PostPosted: Mon Apr 09, 2012 11:10 am 
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:smt007

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 Post subject: Re: Amethyst from... Italy!
PostPosted: Mon Apr 09, 2012 12:06 pm 
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:smt007 :smt049 :smt054 :smt055 :smt060

very very preeciouuuusssss •••

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 Post subject: Re: Amethyst from... Italy!
PostPosted: Wed Apr 11, 2012 5:00 am 
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=D> Now treat it with kid gloves and keep it somewhere safe.

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 Post subject: Re: Amethyst from... Italy!
PostPosted: Tue Jul 31, 2012 8:50 am 
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Hi to everybody!
Amethysts from Italy are not so seldom to be found. The Traversella one follows the French Alpine series where amethyst are frequently found, for example in Bourg d'Oisans etc. Then, we all must remember the Osilo quarry in Sardinia, where amethysts as well as rose quartzes are found, also in nice specimens!
Greetings from Italy :smt002 by Riccardo.


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 Post subject: Re: Amethyst from... Italy!
PostPosted: Tue Jul 31, 2012 6:22 pm 
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Yup, nice amethyst specimens occasionally fund around Italy, BUT how many, at least decent-looking, cut stones have you seen around? :D

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