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Description
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Bumble Bee jasper cab ~
Offered here is a striking cabochon of bumble bee stone, recently imported from Indonesia. After slicing some of this extraordinary material in my slab saw, it doesn't seem hard enough to be either a jasper or an agate. Once polished, it has a somewhat waxy feel, a lot like onyx does. For sure, it cuts FANTASTIC cabs! In this example, the brilliant yellow bands seem to have a hint of velvety chatoyance in plume-like blooms. The vivid colors really catch the eye, contrasting stongly with the black at one end and the lacy gray area at the other. Interesting greenish shades where the two colors blend. I read on the importer's website that this material is harvested near the steaming calderas of Mount Papandayan, an active volcano, where locals collect native sulfur! So that seems to explain the brilliant yellow colors. Whatever it turns out to be, I think this new bumble bee 'jasper' has great designer potential! The cab has a high rounded dome of 6+mm, a crisp designer 'chevron' shape, and despite a few pinpoint natural voids, it has a slick glossy polish both front and back.
Size: 35x31mm
Weight: approximately 49 carats
Price: SOLD Click for current gemstones for sale $52.00
 Bumble Bee stone
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