Rare Montana Missouri River Sapphire in Situ, Helena Montana

Product Code: saps2

Stock Level: 1

Price: $2,499.99

Rare Montana Missouri River Sapphire in Situ
Helena, Montana
6.64 cm x 5.28 cm x 4.1 cm, 152.3 gr.

 

Now here is a Montana Sapphire specimen you do not see everyday.
This came out of an old Montana Collection!

Very few examples are known to exist and even fewer are intact.

This is a Montana Sapphire still in it's lamproite like matrix. 
This specimen was unearthed in the 1980's,

said to be from the Spokane Bar, on the Missouri River just outside Helena Montana.

The matrix hosts a single, very nice green to bluish green sapphire that appears eye clean,
and shifts to a blue color in certain lighting.
The sapphire is approx. 5 carats in size. It measures approx. 8.4 mm x 6.1 mm, depth is unknown.

If you know the region, and you understand Montana Sapphire,
then you know that the sapphire of this region are alluvial.
Although many theories exists, the origin of the sapphire's original dike has never been discovered, and sapphire in matrix are rarely if ever found.

This remarkable small cabinet specimen, at first glance, may not be much to look at.
However if you truly know Montana Missouri River Sapphire, then you know just how rare this specimen is.
The matrix also hosts many other minerals,most of which have not yet been identified,
that can be seen only under magnification.
There does appear to be also some very small micro sapphire present.

I have only seen two other in situ specimen of Montana Sapphire.
One of which hosted only 2 sapphire, not this large,
and was sold to a private collection for a mid 5 figure price.