Rock carved in sugilite*

Important sugilite stone*, from mauve to almost black in color. It is carved with Asian motifs, temples, stairs, buddha, clouds, trees, creating a typical imaginary landscape.

Dimensions: Height: 16 cm, width: 18 cm, thickness: 9 cm. Weight: 2.5 kg

Work of the twentieth century.

*Sugilite (sometimes called luvulite or Royal Azel) is a rare cyclosilicate mineral characterized by intense shades ranging from pink to deep purple.

Discovered in the 20th century, it is highly sought after in fine jewelry and by collectors due to its geological rarity.

Origins and Physical Characteristics:
Discovery: First identified in 1944 by Japanese geologist Kenichi Sugi on the island of Iwagi, Japan.
Deposits: Although discovered in Japan, the largest gem-quality deposits come from the Wessels mine in South Africa. Its exports there, however, have become extremely limited.
Composition: Its chemical formula is(KNa_{2}(Fe,Mn,Al)_{2}Li_{3}Si_{12}O_{30}). It owes its distinctive purple color to the presence of manganese.
Appearance: Its texture is often veined with black (manganese inclusions).