Description
The universe has 13.8 billion years of history. Some of it fits in your hand. For decades, painite held the record as Earth’s rarest mineral — only two specimens were known to science until 2001. Mogok’s alluvial deposits then yielded a few hundred crystals, but fine gem-quality pieces remain extraordinary. The orange-red to brownish-red color comes from iron and chromium. This is mineralogy’s equivalent of finding a new species of large mammal.
This specimen originates from Mogok, Mandalay Region, Myanmar, one of the world’s most significant localities for this type of material. Collectors and scientists have drawn from this region for generations, and for good reason: the combination of geological conditions here produces specimens of exceptional quality and clarity.
Every specimen is unique. Photographs approximate the visual experience, but the real thing — its weight, its luster under a raking light, the way it catches the corner of your eye — can only be experienced directly.
