Large Rare Howardite Designer Cut Cabochon, Designer Cabochons

This astounding large and unique cab of Howardite has incredible orange, pink and yellow colors. I've cut this cab with a medium high dome, girdled sides and a flat beveled back. It has astounding patterning throughout the stone. As is typical with Howardite, there a couple very minor pits and small healed fractures that do not compromise the stone, but it's overall a very clean Howardite piece (All fractures in this stone are "healed" fractures that are filled with clear agate, which is characteristic of Howardite). A rare chance to have a High Grade and beautiful large cab of this highly treasured and rarely available top shelf stone for a collection or a very high end piece of jewelry.

Howardite Designer Cut Cabochon
52.3 x 26.3 x 6.2mm
54 cts.

The original Howardite source is thought or rumored to be from northern Nevada, but is not known for sure. What seems clear is that it has been mined out, if not lost for good. Howardite is an agatized/silicified/opalized Tuff (porous rock formed by consolidation of volcanic ash). Considered some of the rarest agate/jasper lapidary material available, it truly is hypnotic, especially up close and in person.

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

Note that all my photos were taken using full spectrum lighting, which does fairly well in replicating natural sunlight. However, almost all cut stones will look best and brightest in direct sunlight.