This epidote specimen is from a unique find in the western Pakistani Mountains that revealed crystals of an unusual and highly aesthetic "bow tie" shape. Sprays of dark green, lustous epidote form this sharp clusters in a just lovely way.
This is basically a singly "bow tie" cluster, distinctively developed and with bright luster! It is completely free of any damage, with only some contacts here and there. Very straight in shape and characteristic for the new find!
This amazing spinel appears to be a doubly twinned crystal which I honestly haven’t seen before. Like that it has three sharp pointed tips in a star or crown like manner.
The quality is absolutely superb as well, showing great luster and clarity and a lovely strawberry red color!
The spinel is set on a characteristic white calcite matrix which is both elegant and well contrasting! This is certainly a unique specimen of exceptional shape and wonderful quality in best condition!
A single spinel crystal of dramatic size and gemmyness is set atop a white marble matrix. The marble emphasizes the striking cherry-red color of the spinel and provides for a calm, supportive ambience. The octahedral spinel is only attached to the matrix on a small patch, the rest is all free and visible. The surface has brilliant luster on all sides with subtle, attractive etchings. Deep cherry-red color radiates from the high quality crystal even at low illumination. Amazin glassy quality and stunning color, crystallized as a single spinel octahedron!
It is one of those pieces that instantly casts a spell over the beholder! It was found around 1990 by Panzl, Stöckl and Stockmaier and is still one of the best clusters ever to be found on the Söllnerkar! As a perfect floater it is flawless all around and strikes with its unusually thick epidote crystals, the central crystal being 1.2 cm thick! All crystals are sharp, highly lustrous and easily lit with backlight that draws out the inherent green and brown colors! Absolutely breathtaking and charming all around!
The single dominant main crystal is embedded in a somewhat chaotic aggregate of evenly brilliant side-crystals which lends this specimen its very own sublime aesthetics! The main quartz is glassy like a cut gem with sharp edges and brilliant luster. There is some edge-wear present very little and hardly visible on this rich and vibrant specimen. Turning the piece around one can see only more and more amazing aspects of this sparkling beauty. The backside is contacted but is completely re-crystallized and pristine. The bottom as well is crystallized and associated with grey schist inclusions. This is an absolute marvel of best quality and sweeping aesthetics!
Composition and crystal quality and overall aesthetics are absolutely amazing on this magnificent garnet specimen! One single spessartine crystal, 2.8 cm in diameter and of cherry red color, is set atop a contrasting white feldspar floater. To fatten things up even more there is a complex doubly terminated schorl at the garnets backside. Absolutely beautiful in person! At the spessartines front tip you can see an old and re-heald chip but which is the only small issue on this otherwise perfect and super-aesthetic specimen!
Apatite, titanite and adularia are all individually situated on a beautiful natural piece of matrix. The glassy apatite aggregate is the focus of the left half. It is highly lustrous and completely flawless with a diameter of 1.2 cm. The right edge of the specimen is dominated by a well shaped adularia with some chloritization. Closer to the center you can see the single titanite crystal, 1.9 cm long and perfect as well. It nicely contrasts against the white and grey matrix and is prominently set right on the upper ridge.
The aesthetics of this specimen is amazingly beautiful: Single isolated crystals of best quality and condition on a highly detailed crystallized matrix!
This breathtaking floater specimen is from a new find and I must say, I haven't seen this kind of combination before: Sparkling green top quality titanite crystals are abundantly set on the characteristic filigree adularia matrix. What's so special here is the glistering addition of metallic hematite that has grown on larger, second generation adularia crystals. This combination of hematite, adularia and titanite is absolutely marvelous, especially due to the high overall quality and the well preserved condition!
Several gemmy red rhodochrosites are set on a characteristic black manganese oxide matrix. The largest crystal is 1.3 cm wide and totally gemmy with striking cherry-red color. It shows a complex shape with great luster and no damage whatsoever. The smaller crystals have somewhat less color but are equally perfect. An overall very beautiful specimen with single isolated crystals on a contrasting matrix!
This cluster of gemmy green titanite crystals is heavily covered with chlorite but shows great gemmy patches and super-lustrous zones, primarily on the larger crystals at the top. The horizontal crystal that is prominent in the picture is 3 cm long, doubly terminated, razor sharp and of absolutely stunning quality. Our picture nicely shows how brilliant zones all over the piece catch the light and reflect it with beautiful apple-green coloring!
Picture one shows the piece with backlight illumination, picture two is in natural light only.
Brazilianite on white feldspar matrix is a rare find, expecially in such beautiful textbook aesthetics! The crystal on this specimen is 2.6 cm long and 1.8 cm broad, flawless and very well defined. The quality is absolutely stunning with a gemmy brazilianite of bright greenish yellow color and great luster.
This outstanding specimen is composed of distinctive interlocked disc-like aggregates of high quality brucite with intenisve color and bright luster! The crystals are translucent, in parts even transparent and show that dark yellow color that sets itself apart from the bulk of pale unremarkable specimens out there. This kind of quality is hard to find, especially in a complete and undamaged floater like this one. Bruce at its best!