Ultra Rare 22.37 Cts Natural Hackmanite from Badakhshan, Afghanistan

Hackmanite is a rare variety of the mineral sodalite. It contains trace amounts of sulfur, which causes the color of the stone to change after exposure to light. In gemological terms, this phenomenon is referred to as tenebrescence or reversible photochromism. This hackmanite changes to a pink-purple color when exposed to ultraviolet light and reverted to its original color under normal lighting conditions in a matter of minutes. Microscopic examination of this stone reveals minute particles and naturally healed fractures, which prove the stone formed naturally. Hackmanite can be found in several countries, including Canada, USA, Russia, Greenland, Myanmar and Afghanistan. The mineral is often encountered as very small crystals or as translucent to opaque aggregates, often intergrown with other minerals. Rough crystals that will cut large stones are occasionally found but are scarce. Very fine, gem-quality hackmanites that combine good transparency and show strong tenebrescence are considered very rare. The combination of large size and high degree of transparency makes this hackmanite a notable gemstone.