Aragonite (''floater'' specimen - 2023 find)

Item Description

From a brand new discovery in 2023, here we have a fantastic display specimen of this classic and iconic material. Typically Aragonite is found in white, grey or colorless crystals, but the pieces from various localities around the city of Cuenca in the mountains of east-central Spain can often show a rare PURPLE color. For reference, according to mindat.org, Aragonite was named, "for the type locality, the village of Molina de Aragón, Spain, and not the province of Aragón, a mistake made by several later writers". So the history of this species is directly tied Spanish localities. Chemically, Aragonite is calcium carbonate, like Calcite, but it forms at a lower temperature. This piece is a beautiful example of these historic and well-known specimens featuring intergrown sharp, lustrous, translucent pseudo-hexagonal (they're actually cyclic twinned groups) crystals of Aragonite showing a combination of smoky-golden hues on the edges and gorgeous saturated purple tones in the centers of the crystals. The piece is a complete "floater", crystallized all around with not point of attachment or any damage that I can see. The flowing, three-dimensional aesthetic quality of the piece combined with superb form and glistening luster of the crystals themselves makes this a very desirable and choice example of these wonderful specimens. There is no iron oxide staining or inclusions, it's clean and beautiful. We picked up a very small parcel of these specimens, and only have a few to offer in the auctions going forward, so don't miss out as we don't know when pieces of this quality and color will be found again.