Andalusite

Andalusite is a gemstone that has always been both a commercial stone and a "collector" stone. The material is hard enough (61/2) for jewelry purposes. It occurs chiefly in Brazil and is normally a medium green color, with reddish-brown color at the ends (or vice versa). Sometimes the color combination is beige/brownish-red, a highly attractive and distinctive mixture unique to andalusite.

Small cut gems (1-3 carats) are fairly available and modestly priced. The rarity goes up dramatically with size, however, and well proportioned stones over 5 carats are fairly difficult to obtain in quantity. A clean stone over 10 carats is rare enough to be considered a collector stone and may wholesale at a price on the order of 4-5 times that of a 3-carat gem.

The growing popularity of colored gemstones will insure a growth of interest in andalusite. Since larger stones have always been extremely hard to obtain, these fine gems are likely to appreciate in value at a much higher rate than the much more abundant, smaller stones. Andalusites over 5 carats, if well cut and eye-clean, are therefore speculative stones worthy of consideration for well-diversified investment portfolios.