I’m going to take you on an imaginary hike in Maine’s western mountains. The hike is in the forest, within 50 miles of the New Hampshire border. On this hike, at various points, I’m going to ask you to imagine there are no trees or soil. We are walking on just bedrock.
What this hike would reveal is something geologists and rock hounds would love to see: the land after glaciers, without any ice, ground, rock, soil, or clay covering… just bare-naked rock. What would be obvious to the trained eye would be evidence of gem deposits. Even to the amateur, you would see places where precious gems would just show up on the surface. It would be gem treasure hunting without any digging.
Because we have two, three, ten feet of soil covering the rock, we can’t see what’s there beneath a simple hike in the woods. In this imaginary walk, we could see a wonderland of rock with veins of crystals. Some have guessed that there are billions of dollars’ worth of gems in Maine’s western mountains. Most of it will never be found because the land is covered with forests.
Returning to our walk, there would be purple amethyst. There would be light pastel blue aquamarine, and its sister gem, whisper pink Morganite, and burgundy garnet. Then, the big one, precious tourmaline in all shades of green, all shades of pink, teal, and blue, plus pink and green watermelon, and bi-color pink and green gems.
This particular gem is choice. It’s from Maine, and it’s uncharacteristically clear. This is one of the special gems that we have acquired over our last 50 years of collecting the best of the best Maine tourmaline. This is an exceedingly rare two-color Maine tourmaline. There is no other Maine gem like it. If you like this gem, don’t wait.
Maine Tourmaline, A Maine Story
An American Gem
First discovered in 1820 and in subsequent finds over the years, these early discoveries put Maine on the world map as a source for high-quality tourmaline gems. A major discovery in 1972 on Plumbago Mountain in Newry, Maine established Maine as a significant world source of fine tourmaline gemstones.
Cross recognized the historical significance of this find and began working closely with the miners of these magnificent gems. The close partnership continues today with the ongoing discoveries in Maine’s western mountains.
100% Natural
We go to Maine’s gem mines. We know the miners. We know the gem cutters. We guarantee our tourmaline to be from Maine and is 100% natural. Cross maintains the largest collection of fine Maine tourmaline jewelry in the world.
Window of Opportunity
Fifty years have passed since the major 1972 tourmaline find in Newry, Maine where they found 3.5 million carats of tourmaline crystals. Over the years we bought more than we sold knowing that gem finds don’t last forever. There are now colors, sizes, and shapes that are extremely rare and, in some cases, no longer available. If you see something you love it’s best to act quickly. There’s no guarantee another gem like this one exists.
Gem finds are rare, especially in North America. Maine tourmaline is a piece of Maine and American history, it’s a connection to a place we all love, an exquisite creation of nature. Today, there is a rare opportunity to own a bit of Maine/American pride and heritage, and history in choosing a piece of Maine tourmaline jewelry.
