Among the collection assembled by Dr Edward Gübelin are a number of uncommon gemstones from many worldwide localities.
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In the early 1800s sunstone was a little-known, rare and costly gemstone. It wasn’t until finds in Norway, Siberia, and other parts of the world that sunstone became somewhat more widely recognised, more available and less expensive.
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Not all feldspars that bear the name “sunstone” are from the same side of the feldspar family - both the orthoclase and the plagioclase species boast a sunstone feldspar variety. The name sunstone refers to the gem’s appearance rather than to its chemical makeup.
Read MoreThese red, pink and orange hued gems evoke passion and excitement – and are sure-fire accessories for sultry summer days.
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Chronicles a visit to the high desert of eastern Oregon to examine commercial sources of this natural copper-bearing feldspar.
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The first of a three-part series exploring Oregon’s state gem reports on a July 2013 visit to the Ponderosa mine, a prolific sunstone source surrounded by majestic ponderosas.
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The "Sunstone Odyssey" series continues with a visit to the Dust Devil mine, a source of rough for many award-winning faceted gems and carvings.
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The final part of the "Sunstone Odyssey" series explores the Sunstone Butte mine, a new location for large spectacular green and bicolour gems.
Read MoreRed copper-containing plagioclase feldspar from Oregon has been available for over a century. In the early 2000s, new localities for copper-bearing feldspar were reported from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and from Tibet or an unspecified locality in China.
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