Sunlight therapy… courtesy of Mother Nature

Sunlight therapy… courtesy of Mother Nature.

Had to pull the car over for a minute because this Ukrainian Heliodor was absolutely glowing in the morning light. Twirling it in front of a little roadside greenery and the crystal just comes alive — every angle lighting up those wild natural etchings like tiny golden windows.

At 35.6 grams, it’s the perfect palm-size stunner. That rich honey-gold color heliodor from the Volyn pegmatites near Khoroshiv, Ukraine is famous for just explodes in direct sun, while the intricate natural etching gives the crystal this incredible sculpted texture collectors go crazy for.

Heliodor — the golden variety of beryl, often called the “gift of the sun” — is one of those minerals that truly needs sunlight to show its soul. And material from this legendary Ukrainian locality has long been considered some of the finest ever found.

Just me, a plant, a parked car… and 35.6 grams of liquid sunshine.