Rare Williamsite Designer Cut Cabochon, Designer Cabochons

This rare Williamsite cabochon has a nice sage green translucent color with chromite and magnetite inclusions. I cut this cabochon from material which was mined in the 1800's (see more info below). It would make a striking and unique piece of jewelry.

Williamsite Designer Cut Cabochon
30.4 x 22.4 x 5.8mm
29 cts.

I cut this cab by hand and it's been polished to a mirror polish both front and back with slightly beveled bottom edges for easy setting.

Williamsite is a very rare translucent to semi-transparent variety of serpentine. It is valued for its translucency and its jade-like color (often mistaken for jade), and it’s generally accepted as the finest serpentine in the world. Williamsite is typically included with black chromite or magnetite inclusions. The green color derives from traces of chromium.

Mined as a byproduct of chromium mining in the 1800’s from Line Pit Mine (Lowe’s Chromite Mine) on the Mason Dixon Line which, in part, forms the border between Pennsylvania and Maryland. The mine is actually located in both Fulton Township, Lancaster County Pennsylvania and Cecil County Maryland. The Discovery shaft located in Pennsylvania gave access to a stringer of massive granular chromite in serpentine rock. Mining was ceased in the early 1900's.