gem Smoky Quartz

Item Description

This specimen is a rare matrix alpine quartz plate, hosting totally gem crystals to just over 5 cm, on a matrix of adularia-dotted granite. Good matrix pieces are hard to come by, and strahlers risk their lives to collect such as these. To bring out a piece like this, undamaged, the collector must recover it in a larger plate and then haul down the mountain a considerably larger specimen to trim later at home. It is not a collecting trip for the faint of heart! This was found by a very well-known strahler, Paul von Kanel, and was in his personal collection. The crystals, but for a few on the periphery, are totally pristine and all are clean and gemmy. The quality is as high as you can ask for, and rarely seen at least here in the US. Valued $2500