24 g ruby in matrix – Excalibur Crystal

This step comes from the marble quarries of the Badakhshan Province in the Afghan Hindu Kush. At its end rises a stout ruby-crystal cluster from the light-colored rock, diagonally upright and tapering to a point, like a blade still embedded in stone. The ruby shows a deep raspberry to cherry red. On its smooth, glossy crystal facets cling fine light residues of the matrix. The matrix itself is a coarse-grained white to light gray marble, whose cleavage planes flash in the light. Around the ruby and along an entire longitudinal side of the step it is densely coated with gold-brown phlogopite. The scales of this magnesium mica shimmer in the light like gold foil. Between them lie occasional silvery-gray, metallic-looking scales. Under UV light the ruby glows intensely red, while the marble remains dark and only shows occasional bluish points of light. Responsible is the same element that colors the ruby, chromium. Iron can mask this glow, but marble is iron-poor. Rubies from marble therefore fluoresce typically red, even under the UV portion of sunlight, which gives their color additional glow. Ruby, marble and mica are still in their original association here. Thus the step shows how the gemstone grew in its host rock, and is thus a striking collectible piece. Material: Ruby (corundum, chromium-containing) Matrix: coarse-grained white to light gray marble with gold-brown phlogopite (magnesium mica) Origin: Sar-e-Sang region, Badakhshan Province, Afghanistan Dimensions: 5.0 x 2.9 x 2.2 cm Weight: 24 g Special features: Strong, multi-part ruby-crystal cluster in deep raspberry to cherry red, slanted to rise from the end of the matrix; dense gold-brown phlogopite coating around the ruby and on one long side; occasional silvery-gray, metallic-looking scales; under UV light intensely red fluorescence of the ruby, marble with occasional bluish glowing specks.

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