Cut from a geode that opened into two halves, and this is one of them.
The thick banded agate running round the opening is the oldest material on the piece, laid down long before any crystal formed. It built up against the cavity wall, which is why the pattern wraps the edge rather than sitting in the middle. Two of these exist and there will never be a third.
The back and base are cemented and the outside painted dark, which is done to every cathedral on the market and almost never mentioned. The crystal itself is untouched.
Mineral: Amethyst, the purple variety of quartz (SiO₂)
Crystal system: Trigonal
Origin: Brazil
Hardness: 7 on the Mohs scale; hard, though individual crystal tips chip easily
Treatment: None to the amethyst. Backing, base and exterior are cemented and painted, standard practice for cut geodes
Dimensions: 24 x 15 x 31 cm
Weight: 10.35 kg Note: Keep it out of direct sunlight. Sustained UV breaks down the iron centres that produce the purple, and amethyst that fades does not come back
You will receive the exact piece photographed.