Epidote (''bow tie'' crystal group)

Item Description

Epidote is not a rare species, but it's fairly difficult to find really good display specimens. The species is known from many localities around the world, most famously from the renowned Knappenwand locality in the Austrian Alps. The majority of the Epidote specimens you'll see on the market from Pakistan are found in the Gilgit-Baltistan region, but there are some superb quality specimens that have come out of Balochistan recently, and this piece is a great example. The crystals on this are not only superb in quality, but they are some of the most exemplary crystals from the standpoint of form and morphology. At first glance, I was certain this piece had to be from somewhere other than Pakistan (possibly the Knappenwand), due to it's amazingly "wet" luster, smooth crystal faces and dark greenish-black color. It turns out that it's actually from Zard Mountain in Pakistan. This is not terribly surprising, as many of the "Alpine-Type" localities in Pakistan have produced similar minerals to their true European Alpine counterparts, but I'm always impressed when I see a piece like this from an unlikely locality. As mentioned, the superb crystals faces are incredibly reflective and stunningly well-formed, as they lead up to the attractive "chisel"-shaped terminations. The cherry on top of this specimen is a beautiful ''bow tie''-shaped group measuring 1.8 cm, that is aesthetically flaring upwards. The has crystals all over, and is in great condition on the front side, with only a few small nicks here and there. You could fool a lot of people when you ask them, "where is this Epidote from?", because I think most people would either answer Austria, Alaska, Kenya or somewhere else before they thought it was from Pakistan. A great small cabinet display specimen for any fan of worldwide Epidotes or excellent crystal morphology.