POUDRETTEITE

One of the rarest gems known

ORIGIN
Poudretteite was named after the Poudrette family, owners and operators of a quarry near Mont Saint-Hilaire, Quebec, Canada where the mineral was first found.
It was discovered as few tiny crystals during the mid-1960s but not recognized as a new mineral until 1986. In 2000, the first documented gem-quality specimen of poudretteite was discovered in Mogok, Burma.

HISTORY
In November 2000, an Italian gem dealer purchased an unfamiliar rough crystal of gem quality in the Pain Pyit district, Mogok, Myanmar.
After it had been cut to a 3 ct gemstone, it was submitted to the Gubelin Gem Lab for examination and identification, and proved to be the first documented gem-quality specimen of poudretteite.
This extremely rare, purple-pink sample permitted the first comprehensive gemological description of this material with a variety of techniques that had not been previously available. A detailed gemological report of this unique specimen was included in the spring 2003 issue of Gems and Gemology.

OCCURRENCE
Poudretteite quarry (De-Mix quarry; Demix quarry; Uni-Mix quarry; Carrière Mont Saint-Hilaire; MSH), Mont Saint-Hilaire, La Vallée-du-Richelieu RCM, Montérégie, Québec, Canada.

RARE GEM
The remarkable 9.41 carat poudretteite gem, from Burma, is considered to be one of the largest, if not the largest, faceted poudretteite in existence. It is astounding that one of the world’s rarest minerals should suddenly appear in the gem markets as an attractive and nearly flawless 9.41 carat gem.
This light-pink oval faceted poudretteite is the only poudretteite gem in the National Gem Collection. The gem was generously gifted to the Smithsonian in 2007 by Frances Miller Seay.

VALUE
Colored stones are more valuable than colorless ones although all poudretteites are very expensive.
Poudretteites can be eye-clean to heavily included. The less inclusions it has, the more valuable it is.
Clean gems over 1 ct are rare. Clean, well-colored, stones are most expensive.
The carat price can reach USD 6,000 or more.

PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
Crystal System: Hexagonal
Member of: Osumilite Group
Transparency: Transparent
Hardness: 5 on Mohs scale