Mixed Minerals
Zhangpu Co., Zhangzhou Prefecture, Fujian Province, China
Size: 5.3 x 4.8 x 3.3 cm
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There is so much beauty to this piece that a picture is far too less. But a video says more than thousand pictures, right? So go ahead and have a look!Main focus here is definitely on the octahedral fluorite. A purple wonder of fantastically deep color and a rich inner life. The edges and surfaces are nicely modified and structured. The white matrix is perfect all around, even a floater, and holds surprises at the backside: a multiplicity of orange garnet distributed all over its crystallized feldspar matrix. This is a real jewel without any downsides whatsoever!
Cavradi, Val Curnera, Tujetsch, Graubünden, Switzerland
Size: 6.5 x 4 x 4.5 cm
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A striking and well balanced arrangement of tabular hematite, gemmy red rutile and brilliant colorless quartz on matrix. Main aspect here is certainly the massy 3.3 cm hematite "wheel" with its mirroring luster and the perfect outline. Sitting on it are fire red rutile crystals. While one of the hematite side-crystals is damaged, the main crystal is totally unharmed with only a contact at the bottom. The quartz shows the characteristic Cavradi-quality: lustrous, water-clear and with beautiful surface structure. This is a very 3-dimensional piece of classic Alpine aesthetics, a rare composition and a real stunner!
Antetezambato, Ambanha District, Diana Region, Antsiranana Province, Madagascar
Size: 7.1 x 5.9 x 5.7 cm
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This rather large demantoide sits on a lovely white matrix which provides a stark contrast to the mossy green crystal. The whole piece is quite 3-dimensional and striking. As you can see in our video, the backside of the demantoide is like broken but totally recrystallized and very much unusual. This is a perfectly composed specimen of demantoid on matrix, that holds great color, luster and clarity! (repaired)
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Fragile! I hardly dare looking at this piece. Not just for fear of breaking these thin crystals but also out of pure humility. It is almost unbelievable that these two rutile crystals including the fine needles that are grown all over them have never been broken in the process of the recovery. Both main crystals are perfectly intact, well terminated and aesthetically perched on a fitting piece of siderite-matrix. Please also watch our video for a better impression of this pieces beauty!
Tarcal, Eperjes-Tokaj Mts., Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén, Hungary
Size: 8.2 x 7.4 x 4.5 cm
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Shaped like a crown on a head of porous matrix this hyalite specimen (or Opal-AN) is especially distinctive in appearance. Inside the circular boundaries there is a knob of cream-white aragonite, perfectly centred and prominent. The hyalite is perfectly water-clear and in a very good condition. This piece offers perfect aesthetics and brilliant quality as you nicely can see in our video!
Valsertal, Surselva, Graubünden, Switzerland
Size: 16.5 x 7.9 x 7.2 cm
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A dominant, massy smoky quartz crystal of excellent quality that would attract attention in any collection. Especially the main view shows superb luster and a beautifully structured surface through wich the observer can see the stunningly limpid inside of the crystal. Some internal cracks are typical for a crystal this size and even add some spice to an otherwise straight and classy crystal. Mentioning some minuscule wear is beside the point on a great piece like this. A shiny rocket, quietly waiting to launch!
Pyingyi Taung, Male, Singu Township, Pyin-Oo-Lwin District, Mandalay Division, Burma (Myanmar)
Size: 6.3 x 4.6 x 3.5 cm
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One wonderful pink tourmaline of perfectly gemmy quality is prominently sitting on a matrix of quartz, mica and cleavelandite. The tourmaline with a diameter of 2.7 cm is free of any scratch, but has a small contact at the back. Especially nice about this specimen is the elegant contrast of pink, light blue and white, perfectly composed with just the right proportions. I just love the vivid termination, pointing perfectly to the front. A superb and rare piece of tourmaline on matrix from the pegmatites of Burma.
Haus Baden Mine, Sehringen, Badenweiler Pb mining District, Badenweiler, Black Forest, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
Size: 6.5 x 3.1 x 1.3 cm
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Mimetite from Germany and of such striking quality, intense orange color and appealing aesthetics are super-rare and extremely hard to come by. The botryoidal mimetite spheres of up to 7 mm in diameter are scattered across both sides of the flat matrix piece that provides a very good contrast. The condition is mostly flawless with only some minor issues here and there but which are totally acceptable on a rare piece like this. Beautiful and highly interesting for the unusual locality.
Ampanivana pegmatite, Betafo District, Vakinankaratra Region, Antananarivo Province, Madagascar
Size: 7.7 x 4.6 x 3.3 cm
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This is a very massy crystal that needs some light from the back to show its inner life, the bright cherry-red and mossy-green colors. But even at normal room-light there are a lot of beautiful aspects about this piece: the striated surface that sparkles in green and red, the flawless modified termination, the dramatic natural cliff-like shape and the white matrix, covering the piece like snow. As a bonus there is some londonite to be found - look at the upper left face on the picture. This liddicoatite is in just perfect condition and is a floater - flawless even at the bottom.
Mundo Nuevo Mine, Mundo Nuevo, Huamachuco, Sanchez Carrion, La Libertad, Peru
Size: 4.2 x 3.3 x 2.1 cm
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The focus of this specimen is clearly on the main augelite crystal. The casing of sharp and lustrous crystal faces is almost bursting with fabulous, radiant green. The augelite is gemmy and in practically perfect condition with just one minuscule contact. You rarely see crystals of such deep coloring as most of them are much paler with dull surfaces. What we have here is something else entirely, a real jewel. The matrix is of glassy white quartz with some smaller green augelite spread between them. It is a floater and free of damage. I recommend our video for a better view on the 3-dimensional qualities and the sparkling luster.
Outokumpo Cu-Zn deposit, Eastern Finland Region, Finland
Size: 6 x 3.8 x 2.9 cm
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A downright European classic from this old location in Finland! This one single, 1.7 cm crystal perfectly rests on a beautiful matrix and catches the eye of the viewer. It's almost impossible to obtain these specimens nowadays if you are not lucky enough to lay hands on an old collection. Its perfect composition and the sheer size of the crystal are what make this piece unique. Wonderful and mysterious alike!
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This breathtaking anatase crystal is 2 cm large and a real stunner!Aside of one insignificant very tiny chip, this crystal is just brilliant and in great condition. The flat-topped crystal nicely sits on a beautiful matrix of grey rock with crystallized white feldspar and brown accents of iron oxide. As digging in Hardangervidda is prohibited today, good pieces from this region are getting more and more rare at the market. Luckily we were able to lay hands on this fantastic piece of spectacular size and quality!