Quartz var. Smoky (Gwindel) Ex. Britt Coll.

Item Description

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Smoky quartz gwindels are a Swiss classic for collectors, and this wonderful example is a great addition to any mineral collection. Many of these are cloudy, or have dings and damage. This gemmy crystal is in super sharp condition, with a beautiful termination and complex surface features, combined with excellent luster. Gwindel is the word that refers to the natural slight twist to the crystal, that Swiss alpine deposits are famous for - and in person, you can clearly see a slight twist around the central axis, unlike quartz from nearly anywhere else. This specimen is just barely smoky and presents as almost water clear with stunning luster and sharp edges. Very difficult to photograph: Against black, you can see the startling gemminess of the piece; while against white you can see the pleasing pale smoky color, so we have shown this with both backgrounds here. Specimens like this with clarity and quality tend to be sold by the mountain collectors (strahlers) in Europe easily in the 1500-2500 euros range, depending on where and when. They can be foudn from each year's summer colelcting season, although there are never many and the direct collectors who bring them to the several large European shows, tend to sell out quickly.