Mixed Minerals
Pizzo Lucendro, St. Gotthard Massiv, Tessin, Switzerland
Size: 5 x 3.4 x 2.5 cm
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This fine specimen is developed as very sharply edged and highly lustrous tabular hematite, composed as complex intergrown rosettes. That construct is grown on a base of adularia which makes for a great contrast that adds much to the overall aesthetics! This is highest class heamtite in flawless condition and of very best overall design!
Mundo Nuevo Mine, Mundo Nuevo, Huamachuco, Sanchez Carrion, La Libertad, Peru
Size: 6.6 x 5 x 3.5 cm
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I admit, capturing the brilliant quality of this huebnerite/quartz association on a picture is not easy, mainly because of the stark black and white contrast. Still this is an absolutely brilliant specimen that features sharp metallic black huebnerite on sparkling white quartz. Some of the lower crystals are broken but the main crystals at the center are all intact and perfect.
Ambararata, Tsitondroina Commune, Ikalamavony Pegmatite Field, Fianarantsoa Province, Madagascar
Size: 7.1 x 3.6 x 3.2 cm
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A high quality piece from Ambararata, Madagascar that strikes through its exceptionally nice color zoning. The specimen plays colors from white to salmon pink and mossy green to golden yellow at the termination. While the lower part is quite dark and needs strong light from the back, the upper third shows lovely open colors. At the front you can see some associated white albite adding even more to the beauty of this great piece. The main crystal has a unusually sharp and very well developed termination with great luster. You will not find any damage here, even the more fragile albite is in perfect condition!
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This is an exceptionally sculpturesque titanite specimen from a new find by Hannes and Gerhard Hofer. Dozens if not hundreds of sparkling green titanite crystals are richly crowded on this fabulous floater specimen! Sharp, bright and gemmy and with beautiful yellowish green color! The matrix is a filigree structure of white adularia with some metallic green chlorite. The "head" part, a rather fragile structure, is stabilized to make sure it doesn't break off. Overall there is only some insignificant contacts on the backside, no visible damage. It is one of the very best pieces of the find and really excellent in composition and quality!
Hocharnwand, Hohe Tauern, Carinthia, Austria
Size: 52 x 30 x 13 cm
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With a total length of 52 cm this rock coverend in highest quality smoky quartz is downright spectacular!
Found around the year 1984 by Georg Kandutsch, the so called "Eiskluft" (German for ice-cleft) at the Hocharn west slope counts as one of the very few, most important smoky quartz finds of the Eastern Alps! While in Switzerland this mineral is relatively common, smoky quartz finds in the Eastern Alps are almost impossibly rare and highly coveted!
The specimens of this find have been secured deep inside a narrow cleft, high up on the mountains side, hidden in plain ice. Retrieving the quartz under harshest, life-threatening conditions, roped up and with propane burners, was unimaginably dangerous, difficult and demanding!
Struck with awe we now present this exceptional specimen that is one of just around 5 comparable pieces.
With supreme quality, intriguing crystal development, richness of detail and monumental size this specimen is just mindblowing overall!
The largest crystal of the piece is 10 cm large and incredibly beautyfully developed with stepped growth, razor-sharp edges and supurb luster!
Incredibly, for a piece of such dramatic size, it is a complete floater, crystallized all around and in very best condition. Small ankerite crystals around the periphery add to the total package that is already bursting with details. Absolutely fantastic in person!
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This epidote is an especially fine specimen that strikes with excellent quality and aesthetics alike! The very sculptural, fragile epidote is set on a small matrix of snow-white albite which adds much to the already striking aesthetics of this piece! There is no damage anywhere. Even the smallest, most fragile epidote needles are full intact. The fan-shaped epdiote clusters appear exceptionally attractive and make this a very much unique specimen of best quality and aesthetics from this intriguing recent find!
Zinggenstock, Grimsel area, Hasli valley, Berner Oberland, Switzerland
Size: 9.6 x 8 x 4 cm
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This superb combination of smoky quartz and pink fluorite on matrix is completely undamaged and not repaired! The matrix is white and covered in small smoky quartz crystals. Upon this lovely matrix stands a single smoky quartz crystal, 5.6 cm long, clear, lustous and flawless save for one tiny chip that is but only visible from the back. On the right side of the piece, prominently situated at the top, is a single pink fluorite octahedron. It is clear inside with a frosted, nicely modified surface and sits very freely on the quartz. The whole piece is very well balanced and appealing in person!
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The main titanite has a size of 2.7 cm and prominently shows its gemmy side with a mix of mossy green and brown. The crystal is very well defined and sharp. Towards its left end it starts to get encompassed by some chlorite which also dominates the back of the specimen where a tight cluster of titanites is present as you can very well see in our video. The titanite cluster is set on a small piece of feldspar/chlorite matrix that is crystallized even at the bottom.
Ras Koh Mts., Kharan, Balochistan, Pakistan
Size: 3.7 x 2.2 x 1.5 cm
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This epidote specimen is from a recent find in the western Pakistani Mountains that revealed a completely unique 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 very strong and thick singly "bow tie" cluster, distinctively developed and with a bright luster! It is free of any damage, only a at the bottom you will find some contacted remainder of a second crystal which is not at all visible from the front. Very much striking and characteristic for this new find!
Schwarze Wand, Hollersbachtal, Pinzgau, Salzburg, Austria
Size: 3.2 x 3.2 x 1.8 cm
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Lovely little specimen from this highly coveted locale! It is richly covered in deep red hessonites of sparkling luster, associated with green cliochlore! The largest crystals are up to 8 mm in diameter which is a significant size for the locale. A rare and definitely beautiful specimen of Alpine garnet!
Paprok, Nuristan Province, Afghanistan
Size: 7.7 x 1.6 x 1.4 cm
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High quality single crystal tourmaline with distinctive pink and green color zoning. Especially the upper half shows gemmy quality right up to the complex and flawless termination. It's an excellent specimen without any downsides!
Riedingsee, Weißeck, Lungau, Salzburg, Austria
Size: 15.3 x 11.4 x 8.1 cm
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Beautiful pastel green fluorite cubes are crowded all over this limestone matrix. The crystals are bright and limpid with lustrous faces. The largest fluorites are up to 1.6 cm on edge. There is hardly any abrasions on the main view but contacts around the periphery are present. In between the crystals you can see some free patches of matrix which lets you relate to the locality and the mother rock. Very attractive, showy and special from this admired locale!