A gorgeous, sparkling specimen of natural Citrine quartz perched in the matrix in which it grew: associated with all the other mineralogical elements of a complex "pocket" of crystals that formed over 300 million years ago at huge depth and high temperature within the earth. The crystal is 15 cm (about 6 inches) tall and has razor-sharp termination atop. This piece shows how the quartz grew out of solution into open space, even as other minerals crystallized out of solution around it, enveloping it in associations of contrasting color and texture (purple lepidolite, white cleavelandite, and blue-green tourmaline). Overall this is not only a fabulous matrix quartz crystal of a rare color, but a piece that tells a story of how these gem crystals formed so long ago. In fact, there is a gem quality green-blue tourmaline "pencil" in the front, and another included inside the quartz, fully enclosed and floating in space within that sharp crystal. The crystal is intact and pristine on the remarkably sharp termination, and had only a small damage to the right edge corner, which was smoothed over with a tiny application of epoxy per normal restoration practice. Furthermore, this is superbly balanced in terms of aesthetics with the crystal nicely centered on the specimen. Citrine, golden-orange quartz, is one of the rarest of natural colors of quartz crystals. Much of the citrine seen for sale in decor, design, and even museum gift shops, is created by heating pale or nearly colorless amethyst at high temperature, which turns it bright orange. Natural citrine is therefore much rarer than is normally perceived. The current specimen is a gemmy, bright and significant natural citrine crystal; and it is complete all around so that it can be displayed as a walk-around specimen on a pedestal. It is unusually large and unusually finely preserved. With a custom milled lucite display base. 27 x 22 x 21cm. (10.6 x 8.6 x 8.2in.) and 5.98kg.

Acquired from the private collection of former mine owner, Daniel Trinchillo, 2007.