According to Geology.com, “Sonoran Sunrise” is a trade name for a rock composed mainly of bluish green chrysocolla and orange to red cuprite, which can be cut into a cabochon that suggests a green landscape under an orange-red sky during sunrise in the desert.
Small amounts of iron or black iron oxide mineral may be present and are usually concentrated at or near the boundary between the chrysocolla and cuprite, suggesting mountains or outcrops of dark rocks on the horizon.
Sonoran Sunrise stones come from the Milpillas Mine in Sonora, Mexico. The mine opened in 2006, but by 2011 most of the material in this mine was extracted so the stone has been harder to get, especially stones showing rich colors.
Symmetrical Sonora Sunrise cabochons in round or oval shapes can be difficult to cut because chrysocolla and cuprite are of different hardness. Iron minerals in the material can deposit onto the cutting edges of a diamond grinding wheel and require frequent wheel maintenance. Most cabochons of Sonora Sunrise are large because it is difficult to capture two materials in nice composition in smaller sizes.
Rui Galopim de Carvalho defines Sardinian coral in his new 2024 book “Gempedia” as a trade name for red colored precious coral, Corallium rubrum, of Sardinian waters in Italy. He adds that it has been used as a synonym for Mediterranean red coral, especially in the US market.
Salvador Assael, the founder of Assael, was known as the “Pearl King” in the US. He fell in love with pearls after World War II when the Japanese offered him high-quality Akoya pearls for his Swiss waterproof watches. In the late 1950s and 1960s, he became the first pearl dealer to make South Sea Pearls available in the US, and he popularized them with his marketing savvy.
After Assael’s death in 2011, his wife Christina ran the company and added Melo Melo pearls, conch pearls, and responsibly sourced precious coral to their collection. More info is at www.Assael.com.
Guest articles by Renée Newman:
https://gem-spectrum.com/category/renee-newman
About the author:
Renée Newman is a gemologist (GG, GIA), lecturer, writer and author of 15 books on gems and jewelry. Her goal is to provide consumers and jewelry professionals with unbiased, affordable information on how to buy, evaluate and appreciate gems and jewelry. She can be reached through her website:
