Tourmaline Crystal

A fine tourmaline crystal shading from deep violet at its base to pastel pink toward the top, with a cap of seafoam green. This is a hefty crystal that shows classic basal termination. In the first decade of the 20ᵗʰ century, these crystals were particularly sought after by the government of Empress Dowager Cixi, the effective ruler of China during the late Qing dynasty, from 1861 until her death in 1908. Many of these classic tourmaline carvings now reside in the Palace Museum, Beijing.