Smoky Quartz with Chlorite from Switzerland TF964

Smoky Quartz with Chlorite from Switzerland
Approx. Dimensions: 4x1.5x1.5 inches
Approx. Weight: 130 grams
Locality: St. Gotthard Pass, Central St Gotthard Massif, Leventina, Tessin, Switzerland

This lovely little point from Tessin, Switzerland features a coating of green chlorite on the termination, and a fully healed bottom where the crystal broke off its host at some point during its formation.

Alpine-type quartz from the Alps of Switzerland and France refers to quartz crystals that formed in open fissures, or clefts, within metamorphic rocks during mountain-building events. As the Alps uplifted and fractured, silica-rich fluids circulated through these cracks, allowing quartz to grow slowly in open space. This environment produced sharply terminated, well-proportioned crystals with high clarity, often showing classic habits such as scepters, gwindels, and pristine single points.

Collectors value Alpine quartz for its exceptional crystal quality, natural elegance, and strong sense of place. Many specimens are carefully extracted by hand from high-elevation localities, a tradition that dates back centuries in the European Alps. The combination of aesthetic purity, well-documented localities, and the cultural history of alpine crystal hunting makes Swiss and French Alpine quartz a benchmark for quartz specimens worldwide.