la Rose de mine

This unique gemstone of Swiss origin has formed itself in the coal mines of the central Valais region. Its’ very recent history has a direct link to the miners activity which in turn has created an extremely rare contemporary gemstone.

Found in a maze of mine shafts, which were abandoned for decades, is one of the rare calcites that can be cut, polished and mounted as a piece of jewellery.

Unlike ordinary gems, which are formed over thousands of years of compression with magmatic heat, this gem is formed under an ambient temperature and pressure in the deep moist darkness of the abandoned coal mines. The unique colour of the Rose of the Mine is due to the presence of cobalt in the fluids during its formation. High quality brut material that can be cut to make jewellery is extremely scarce. These gems are certified natural, non-treated and ethical.

Thanks to the hard work of the coal miners, the appropriate conditions were created to permit the growth of such a mineral beauty. To honour them, this new Swiss gem was given the French name La rose de mine, meaning The Rose of the mine.

Pink Cobalt Calcite from the Valais

An exceptional mineral in more than one way

Context
Discovered in the early 1990’s in the old coal mines of the canton of Valais in Switzerland, these mineral formations appear in small quantities. From a geological standpoint the process of growth was very rapid. It started as soon as the mines were abandoned in the early 1940’s.

Colour and chemistry
The mineral analysis revealed that, unlike the already known pink calcites that get their colour from the manganese, the pink cobalt calcite of Valais gets its uniqueness of colour from a group of specific chemical elements found in the local geology.

Gem quality
All these conditions reunited have given birth to a mineral of rare quality. Cut and polished, La Rose de Mine, reveals itself as an original gem of extreme beauty. It is certified by the Swiss gemmological laboratory SSEF (Schweizerische Stiftung für Edelstein-Forschung)

Rarity
This mineral is born from the combination of 2 opposite factors: nature and human activity. Rough quality gem stones are very rare and can only be found in very specific places which are particularly inaccessible.