Tessin habit Smoky Quartz (RARE! - Kidwell Coll.)

Item Description

Stunning, VERY RARE, large and pristine Tessin habit smoky quartz from an unknown pegmatite in the Teofilo Otoni area of Minas Gerais. The striking tapered water-clear, gem, hexagonal crystal has beautiful light smoky color with very glassy, highly lustrous faces. Stepped-growth faces are a super accent to this exceptional 360-degree crystal. Tessin habit is when the hexagonal quartz prism gets continuously thinner toward the termination and is named after the Swiss Kanton Ticino/Tessin. From the worldwide mineral collection of Albert Lewis Kidwell (January 1, 1919 - August 16, 2008). Al was a well-known mineral collector and research geologist with Carter Oil Company and later Exxon Oil Company in Houston, Texas. The phosphate species Kidwellite was named in his honor in 1974. A rare, perhaps UNIQUE and fascinating large old 360-degree Tessin habit smoky from the locale, as MINDAT features no smokies on the locality Photo Gallery. Al acquired the piece in 1965.