Antique Genuine Natural Czechoslovakian Forest Green One and One-Third Carat Moldavite (Meteorite) Semi-Precious Gemstone Faceted Oval.

CLASSIFICATION: Faceted Moldavite Oval.

ORIGIN: Moldau River Valley, The Czech Republic, 19th Century. Hand cut and faceted in Russia.

SIZE: Length: 9mm. Width: 7mm. Depth: 5mm. All measurements approximate.

WEIGHT: Approximately 1.38 carats.

NOTES: Upon request we can set your gemstone as a ring, pendant, or earring.

DETAIL: An absolutely gorgeous, richly textured and colored green faceted moldavite semi-precious gemstone originally from Czechoslovakia. The gemstone was hand crafted into this sparkling faceted oval by a 19th century Russian artisan. Russia, fabled for its production of fabulous Czarist jewelry and gemstones through Medieval, Renaissance, and Victorian Europe. High quality, transparent, and at a minimum eye clean, this brilliant, flashy gemstone possesses a rich velvety green color which is uniquely moldavite. Moldavite is the only known gemstone with an extraterrestrial origin. Very rare and found only in a limited area of present-day Czechoslovakia, the gemstones are the fused remains of the outer surface of a meteorite or comet which crashed into present-day Germany some 14.7 millions years ago. Evidence demonstrates that even Cro-Magnon man during the Upper Paleolithic collected the gemstones as long as 30,000 years ago.

This gemstone is absolutely eye clean, and even with a 5x jeweler loupe or in these 500% digital photo enlargements, it is difficult to discern any blemishes. Very high magnification reveals a few very tiny, widely dispersed air bubbles. Well below the size that can be detected with the naked eye, these may only be seen when the gemstone is magnified. The fine bubbles trapped within the gemstone possess the evidence of its extraterrestrial origin (read further below). All moldavite has such tiny little gas bubbles. No gas bubbles and it is not moldavite. The bubbles are the consequence of being formed 25 kilometers above the earth from the molten remains of the meteorite.

The gemstone is exceptionally clean and bright, crystal clear, and nicely colored. Though the photo enlargements here, if you scrutinize them very carefully, will show the presence of diffused bubbles of gas. However such minute bubbles are not considered blemishes or flaws – it is a characteristic of all genuine moldavite. What is important is that the color is an extraordinarily rich green, the gemstone is transparent, and other than the gas bubbles (which cannot be seen anyway except under magnification, is free from inclusions. However the trained eye will easily discern from the photo that the gemstone has been hand-faceted. The coarseness of the 19th century faceting is considered appealing to most gemstone collectors, and is not considered a detriment. Unlike today's computer controlled machine processes, the cut and finish of gemstones such as these is the legacy of an artisan who lived two centuries ago. Such antique hand-faceted gemstones possess much greater character and appeal than today's mass-produced machine-faceted gemstones.

This gemstone has great luster and sparkle, and to the eye is completely transparent. However at such high magnification as these images you might be able to detect occasional irregularities in the faceting and finish. However these characteristics are expected of hand-finished gemstones. Antique gemstones are as much appreciated as antiques, with the inherent coarser cuts and finishes as they are strictly as gemstones. While laser cut and machine faceted gemstones might approach flawlessness in a perfect finish, the unique nature and character of antique gemstones such as this more than makes up for the characteristics of a hand cut and faceted gemstone which by and large, are (if at all) only visible under high magnification.

HISTORY: Moldavite is found only in limited areas in the Czech Republic, in the hills, valleys (impact craters) and waters of the Moldau and Vltava rivers. Moldavite is the outer surface of (one or more) meteorites that fused and melted as a consequence of entering our atmosphere. Evidence suggests that there were a series of major meteor impacts in an area stretching from Germany and Austria through Czechoslovakia. Great pressures and heat caused by the collision created a sort of “instant magma”, which exploded back into the atmosphere. The most significant strike formed the Ries crater at Nordlingen in southern Germany. In the impact the kinetic energy of the 15 mile a second speed of the meteorite was transformed into thermal energy. The meteorite exploded, and the released heat melted the meteorite which was shot up by the pressure of the explosion into a height of about 50 kilometers.

At the moment of impact the explosion would have been comparable with a multiple hydrogen bomb. The atmosphere would have been torn apart, and moldavite formed in the vacuum bubble. The molten moldavite then fell back to Mother Earth in droplets. A very unique and specific feature of moldavite are the minute round bubbles inside the gemstone material. America’s NASA examined the gaseous inclusions and determined that the pressure of rare gasses within the gemstone was equivalent to the atmospheric pressure of roughly 20 - 25 kilometers above the Earths surface, demonstrating that the gemstones were indeed formed miles above the earth’s surface as a molten substance.

Known as a tektite, moldavite resembles obsidian. It is a singly refractive glass-like substance with many included minerals (iron, magnesium, aluminum, lime etc.), but is primarily made up of silica (quartz); anywhere from 70% to 80%. The oldest discoveries of worked moldavite goes as far back as the Stone Age, when moldavite was worn as amulets, mostly because of the natural appearance and striking green color. Professor Vladimir Bouska, in his book “Moldavites - The Czech Tektites”, states that “The first human being that was interested in Moldavites was a Cro-Magnon man from the…Upper Paleolithic. Several potsherds of green Moldavite glass were found together with the famous statue of Venus of Willendorf, which is about 29,000 years old, at Willendorf in Lower Austria.”

Fragments of moldavite have also been unearthed at many other archaeological sites throughout central Europe which yielded relics from prehistoric inhabitants. Moldavite was first described in print more than two hundreds years ago. The first scientific report about these strange stones was published in 1786 when Professor Josef Mayer delivered a paper at the symposium of the Czech Society of Sciences. Moldavite’s history in magic and spirituality was also recorded in the Middle Ages. It was believed to be one of the stones in the Holy Grail. Ancient learned men from Babylon and Egypt, as well as astrologers in Middle Ages, attributed a magic power to influence the human body to all green stones. Until today this belief remains strong especially in the countries of East Asia. It is widely believed that moldavite gives energy, removes tiredness, headaches, and is more than any other stone a fitting object for concentration exercises and meditations. It is also believed that the iron inclusions help with anemia and give physical strength, and that it is a great heart healer and can magnify the healing energies in other stones.

Only a few dozen pieces of moldavite have been found outside Czechoslovakia (in Austria and/or Germany). Since the late nineteenth century not only gemstones have been produced from moldavite, but other objects have been decorated with this fabulous gemstone, such as tiaras, combs, rings, earrings, cuff links, and walking sticks. Previously little known due to its rarity, interest in moldavite increased considerably in the 1960’s when the government of Switzerland presented Queen Elizabeth II, on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of her coronation, with a tiara in the centre of which was placed a Czech moldavite in its natural state, surrounded with diamonds and black pearls. Since that time the export of moldavite from Czechoslovakia has been severely curtailed and is highly regulated.

You might guess I travel extensively for a living. My profession is a purchasing agent for antique gemstones, which generally come from Russia, India, Ceylon, and Siam. I grew up in the Southern Urals of Russia, just miles away from some of the greatest gemstone producing regions in the world’s history. Alexandrite, diamond, emerald, sapphire, chrysoberyl, topaz, demantoid garnet, and many other rare and precious gemstones are produced from the mountains within mere minutes or a few hours from the city I once called home. My interest in the fabulous history of Russian gemstones and the fabulous jewelry of the Czar’s led to further education and conacts in India, Ceylon, and Siam, other ancient centers of gemstone production and finishing. Though perhaps difficult to find in the USA, antique gemstones are commonly unmounted from old, broken settings – the gold reused – the gemstones recut and reset.

Before this happens, before these gorgeous antique gemstones are recut, I try to acquire the best of them in their original, antique, hand-finished state – most of them centuries old. I believe that the work created by these long-gone master artisans is worth protecting and preserving rather than destroying this heritage of antique gemstones by recutting the original work out of existence. That by preserving their work, in a sense, we are preserving their lives and the legacy they left for modern times. Far better to appreciate their craft than to destroy it with modern cutting. Not everyone agrees – fully 95% or more of the antique gemstones which come into these marketplaces are recut, and the heritage of the past lost. But if you agree with me that the past is worth protecting, and that past lives and the produce of those lives still matters today, consider buying an antique, hand cut, natural gemstone rather than one of the mass-produced machine cut (often synthetic or “lab produced”) gemstones which dominate the market today.

In my travels back and forth between the USA, Asia, and Eastern Europe I also tend to accumulate a lot of books, CD’s, and audio recordings. So I oftentimes have lightly used CD’s, once-read books, audio recordings, and even some antique books I buy in Europe for sale as well. And occasionally I will find such a good buy on contemporary jewelry for my clients that I will purchase a few extra pieces to offer on eBay. These are always offered clearly labeled as contemporary, and not antiques – just to avoid confusion. I also end up with boatloads of jewelry and gemstone samples which were not fully distributed to the retailers I purchase on behalf of. Some really great pieces, including antiques, pearls, as well as some pieces of antique Russian jewelry.

I have always been fascinated with jewelry and gemstones. Bangkok, Taipei, Hong Kong, Moscow, and Bombay are great places to find incredible deals on both gemstones and jewelry, and over the years I have made many friends within the trade in these five cities. So you can look for a steady flow of little treasures I discover in my travels, and I will be happy to share with you the best deals I can find through my industry acquaintances in these far-off Asian lands. Though I spend a good part of each year in Europe and Asia, most of the year I am here in the United States, and that's where all of my little treasures are. So you can count on quick shipping and careful packaging. And if I am not home - I have someone who does it for me!

Your purchase will ordinarily be shipping within 48 hours of payment. Shipping charges for addresses within the USA are $3.99 for the first item, $0.99 for each additional item. Domestic rates include USPS Delivery Confirmation so you can track your shipment on-line at the USPS Web Site. Canadian shipments are $3.99 – all other international shipments $4.99 - but do not include delivery confirmation (only available with Global Priority or Express Mail - $12 and up). Priority Mail, Express Mail, Registered Mail, UPS, and Fed-Ex are available both domestically and internationally. Insurance is also available for domestic shipments and most international shipments; $2.00 extra for $50.00 in coverage; or $3.00 for $100.00 in coverage. Additional increments of $100 are only $1.00 each. I do NOT recommend uninsured shipments, and expressly disclaim any responsibility for the loss of an uninsured shipment. Unfortunately the contents of parcels are easily stolen by postal employees, and since 9/11 the incidence of lost and untraceable packages (even registered mail) is about triple what it used to be.

I prefer your personal check or money order over any other form of payment – and I will ship immediately upon receipt of your check (no “holds”). I will accept PayPal payments, however please do not use eBay’s check-out system. There are too many variables regarding packaging options, shipping options, and other options to possibly include every possible variation in advance for automated checkout. The amounts provided for eBay’s check-out system are only estimates based on domestic insured shipments. The actual amount could be more or less depending on your shipping, packaging, and accessorial preferences. So please wait for my email invoice before you attempt to check out so I can properly quote you for accessories such as packaging and shipping options. If upon receipt of the item you are disappointed for any reason whatever, I offer a no questions asked return policy. Send it back, I will give you a complete refund of the purchase price.