This 3.75 carat freeform rainbow garnet from Arlit, Niger is a true optical marvel—and one of the standout favorites in our collection. Its surface architecture is a visual tribute to nature’s crystalline precision, where bright neon green trapezohedral faces (the “diamond” faces) gleam with electric intensity, while the surmounting dodecahedral faces flash with metallic red and full-spectrum diffraction.

The interplay of these sharply defined geometric forms gives the piece the surreal appearance of a miniature iridescent soccer ball—a perfect synthesis of symmetry and light. As it turns in hand, the orientation of the crystal faces activates layered flashes of shifting color, ranging from vivid green to crimson, gold, and violet, thanks to the lamellar diffraction structure unique to this locality.

Arlit is already famed for producing the world’s brightest rainbow garnets, but specimens that preserve both strong crystallographic form and full-surface iridescence are vanishingly rare. This piece is a stunning example of when nature gets everything right—form, fire, and color, all in one palm-sized prism. A collector’s gem and a true celebration of crystallized light.