Huge Smoky Quartz w/ Spessartine Garnet plate

Item Description

A spectacular, huge and important smoky quartz combination plate from this famous locale. This dramatic giant has two distinctively different presentation faces! The entire piece is peppered with classic, gemmy cinnamon-orange spessartine garnets to about 3-4 mm. One side highlights the impressive dense cluster of lustrous, translucent, rich smoky quartz crystals, to 6.5 cm. The other side features an unusual, preferential secondary overgrowth of microcline that covers prism faces, BUT not the terminations. Interesting chemistry here! This side also has a greater concentration of garnets. Complete all-around and nearly pristine, this fabulous large plate has only two broken, barely noticeable smokies on the periphery. I acquired this from the mine owner's collection on a recent trip to China. Valued at $2000, at a minimum.