Les cahiers d'Alain Truong

Considered to be one of the ten most collectible minerals in the world, smithsonite, a zinc carbonate, is one of the major ores of zinc. Smithsonite is available in a number of colors due to trace elements, with the most classic being blue. It was originally named after James Smithson of Smithsonian Institution fame in 1832 and was first discovered in 1802. The present example is a large and gemmy oval cabochon, possessing a classic bluish-green color, well-polished to reveal its fine translucency.
Weighing 53.49 carats and measuring 27.5 x 16.5 x 9.5mm