India, the land of mysticism, has introduced to the world an array of colorful and eye-pleasing spheres that captivate the collector and the metaphysician alike. Though few are expensive, they are unique, plentiful and  prized around the globe.

Our personal favorites from India are the white moon-stone with blue iridescent cast, the lovely peach moonstone and the newly discovered aqua green moonstone. Another peach beauty is the unique chat-oyant sunstone, introduced in the last couple of years.

Sardonyx, somewhat hard to secure today, is a stun-ning stone…The best pieces combine yellow, red and black in waves or bands.

Bloodstone is now more readily available. Deep green (or sometimes slightly teal), these often have red and/or yellow accents, many times ringed. Fancy jasper is a “cousin” to bloodstone, available in many other colors.

Sparkly green and blue aventurines, as well as the standard green aventurine, come from India, though the sparkling variations have been hard to obtain for the past couple of years.

King cobra jasper, with gold, brown, rust and cream patchwork is a unique mineral. Our favorites are the rare ones that are largely pink or peach.

There is also a really attractive green moss agate with white druzy quartz pockets from India.

Among the best-known gem materials coming from that region are ruby, blue sapphire and black sapphire, now available in spheres and marbles. Whether these materials are actually from India (Kashmir) or other parts of the region—Sri Lanka, Myanmar or Malay, it is the Indian dealers who bring them out to the world at large.

SPHERE'S TO YOU’S RED SPHALERITE

One of our most rare & popular materials is an incredible sparkling red sphalerite from Santander, Spain, that glows from the inside.

While we buy finished spheres the world over, there are just some special materials that we have to buy in the rough and have cut into spheres and marbles. Red sphalerite is one of them. This mineral is elusive and only obtainable from small stashes that collectors have put away, since the mine is now on a Spanish National Preserve and closed. We are pleased to say that we have recently purchased a special supply and within the next few months will have new spheres and marbles available.

We can even put you in touch with a talented local wire-wrap artist who is making jewelry from our cuttings!
 

SPHERE SELECTING FOR THE DISCRIMINATING!

Sometimes a sphere just calls to you and you know that it was meant to be yours. More often, however, the power is in your hands to pick the right sphere for your collection. The following are some handy guidelines on what to look for in a sphere.

Color
Richness of color is an important determinant in selecting a sphere. Is it brilliant, pale, unusual? Does it have eye-appeal? How vivid is it in com-parison to other spheres of the same material?  How about the combination of colors—do they work well together, or detract from each other? Is it a melodious combination or a stark contrast that make the sphere special?

Polish
Is the polish smooth, high gloss or matte? Many sphere makers are now  using sphering equipment made with industrial diamonds and this creates a much higher grade polish on minerals that allow for it. You may prefer a matte finish on some pieces, but high gloss can really show off a stone’s best character.

Symmetry
Visual balance is important in a collector sphere. Does its appearance set well with the eye or do its markings seem awkward or asymmetrical.

Clarity
Particularly with quartz spheres and gemmy materials, clarity heightens the value. Look for general clarity or beautiful clear pockets in the “soul” of the stone.

Rarity
How rare a material is increases its value to many collectors. You may collect for beauty, but others may wish to assemble a collection of rare and unique materials, or minerals from unusual localities.

Patterns
Some collectors go for unique patterns only. Whether patterns are your passion or not, they certainly make a sphere more interesting. Swirls, geometrical repeat patterns, cross hatching, waves, circles, different bottom and top—these distinctive markings are nature’s modern art. They add personality to the world of rocks. Look to see if the pattern holds around the entire stone, or if the patterns and colors mesh well at least on the side you will display.

Special Effects
Chatoyancy, cat’s eyes, sparkles, gold rutile stars in quartz, unusual inclusions, opalescence —all of these can enhance a sphere’s distinctive appeal. It’s not always easy to find materials with these unique characteristics because they are among the first to go!

Defects
Review carefully a sphere when buying. Does it have scratches?  Many times dealers throw a lot of inventory in bins, which scratches the surface of the spheres. Look to see if is has other defects, such as fill? This means that a slight natural hole in the rock was “filled” with similar rock material or epoxy. You might see a raised spot or notice a “cut-out” area. As careful as we are, sometimes we even fail to spot the defects!

Your Locality
Some materials do not do well in certain climates. Ulexite, for example, loses its luster in damp climates and needs to be re-polished
or kept in a climate-controlled environment. A small humidity-packet from a vitamin bottle can help solve the problem if put under the sphere.

Shape
Perfect roundness may not always be important to you as a collector, but to some it matters. Spheres from The Congo (malachite) or Morocco (selenite, caramel onyx, orthoceras, for example) are often hand- made and therefore not perfectly round. If round does matter, set the sphere on a table and look at it from all angles to see how round it is.

Size
Are you buying spheres in a certain size range to establish a uniform collection? Then obviously size will also be an important factor in your selection process. Alert your dealers to keep an eye out for you with specific sizes. We have one customer who largely buys .75 inch marbles and we are always on the lookout for her.  Healing Energies
Minerals have different value in the metaphysical world, but many do have a special appeal for individuals who can recognize and take advantage of their specific healing properties. Holding a crystal—whether it is quartz or one of the less well-known specimens—often allows a sensitive person to distinguish the power and effectiveness of a stone’s healing capabilities. Comparing different stones in one’s hands can often cull out the most powerful and effective spheres. If your purchase is intended for healing use, please advise Marcela, as she is a Reiki Master and therefore especially helpful in selecting useful pieces.

Price
How does the price of the sphere relate to its true value? Is it on par with other like spheres in the market? A very special piece will command a higher price, but is it reasonable? Price should reflect quality.Ask other experts. And lastly does it fit your spending parameters?
 

 Our dealers at Tucson and Quartzsite have once again brought us many beautiful and unique specimens. This year’s crop includes:
 *Green Moonstone—A compliment to India’s white and peach moonstones.
 *Green Stromatolite from Minnesota—Akin to Red Mary Ellen jasper, these critters hail from the same region.
 *Black Lace Agate from Mexico with small white druzy pockets.
 *Stunning goldenrod orpiment from Russia! Never before seen and in very limited supply.
 *Gemmy blue/green apatite also from Russia.
 *Cancrinite—Bright yellow with some black markings —a Russian contribution
 *Blue Lepidolite from Australia—the world’s first deposit.
 *Yellow Lepidolote—from North Dakota (actually its a lot like the green from the same locale.
 *Kyanite/Muscovite/Quartz—Chatoyant Russian material in golds, blacks and a touch of blue.
 *Cocoa Rutile—A new Brazilian find…looks like chocolate in quartz.
 *Pink & Cranberry Quartz Geodes-Great material unearthed in Brazil.
 *Misty Mountain Jasper-Unique patterned, subtly colored Madagascar jaspers that look like pastel paintings.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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