Smoky Quartz (Larson Coll.)

Item Description

RARE, deceptive and stout smoky quartz crystal with striking multiple terminations from the Hercules Mine, adjacent to the famous LIttle Three Mine. The well-striated smoky appears to be nearly opaque under normal light, but backlighting reveals the crystal is gem to translucent. The lower half of the richly colored, glassy and lustrous crystal is water-clear gem. The jagged gem smoky terminations partially enclose secondary translucent colorless quartz, which includes the tallest termination on the piece. The interior clouds in the translucent interior of the termination add interest to this unusual 360-degree smoky. The Hercules is well-known for gorgeous rich orange spessartine garnet and schorl specimens. This exceptional smoky quartz would have been collected in the 1970s to mid-1990s. Essentially pristine, with only a very gently bruised top termination. See the 2002 Mineralogical Record issue, Vol. 33, No. 5 and MINDAT: https://www.mindat.org/loc-11800.html for more information on the mine. Ex Bill Larson San Diego County Pegmatite Collection and long on display at his Pala International shop in Fallbrook. These are simply not for sale at any price and we were fortunate to get this old collection of such treasures. When they are gone...they are gone!