Massive Fluorite Cube on Matrix Ex-Museum

A monumental, transparent, pastel sea-green fluorite cube — among the largest recorded for its species and for this storied Russian locality — sits with extraordinary poise atop a delicate arrangement of matrix shards bound by snowy calcite. Originally extracted in the 1980s and held for years in a Soviet museum collection before being released to the market after the dissolution of the USSR, this specimen represents the pinnacle of classic Russian fluorite. The primary crystal, a superbly developed, razor-sharp cube measuring an impressive 11 cm on edge, is positioned with sculptural precision across contrasting matrix components: a sliver of hard rock matrix on one side and a glistening, crystalline calcite mass on the other. Its transparency is so pronounced that both matrix types are clearly visible through the body of the fluorite, giving the piece an almost architectural interplay of color and form. Surface luster is bright and reflective, complementing the crystal’s cool, ethereal hue. Internally, the crystal remains nearly flawless, exhibiting only a faint, diagonal cleavage trace and a few subtle internal crazes typical of large, museum-grade fluorite. Remarkably, despite its substantial size and historical journey, the crystal shows no true damage and only minimal, judicious restorations. A specimen of this magnitude, provenance, and aesthetic balance stands as a textbook — and exceedingly rare — example of old-generation Russian fluorite at its finest.