In this gallery are presented minerals from the Alpine region, including areas of France, Italy, Switzerland and Austria. You can browse through and see nice quartz, smoky quartz, pink fluorite, adularia, rutile on hematite and other classic specimens from this region.

 

WALPS-08/50 - Quartz (gwindel)

Bieligertal, Goms (Valais, Switzerland)

Cluster of highly lustrous transparent quartz crystals of a very light smoky color. One crystal is a "normal" 4.5-cm. long prismatic crystal while the other is a 5.5x3x2.5-cm. "gwindel" crystal. The prismatic crystal is not terminated at bottom where the cluster was attached to the matrix and the "gwindel" has a few tiny nicks on a terminal edge, otherwise undamaged and of high quality.

5.5x5x3.6 - 110 €

 

 

WALPS-08/51 - Quartz

Bieligertal, Goms (Valais, Switzerland)

Nice cluster of highly lustrous transparent gemmy crystals of smoky quartz to about 3 cm. long on an adularia-rich matrix, some of them doubly terminated. I can only find one little nick on a termination, otherwise undamaged.

5.8x5.3x3.3 - 65 €

 

 

WALPS-08/48 - Quartz

Turbenalp, Binn Valley (Valais, Switzerland)

A highly lustrous colorless transparent crystal of "Tessiner habitus" quartz with really interesting surface features on its faces, very difficult to take on pictures. Bottom is contacted/recrystallized and there is even an old surface that has been later regrown and its surface texture is now included and visible inside the crystal. Undamaged and a great example of this type of Alpine quartz from a classic locality.

9x5.7x3.5 - 120 €

 

 

WALPS-08/9 - Quartz

Zinggenstock, Grimsel area (Bern, Switzerland)

Loose gemmy crystal of highly lustrous smoky quartz. Presents some contacts at bottom. There is a tiny nick at the termination, otherwise undamaged. A nice example of classic alpine Swiss quartz.

4.3x1.5x1.5 - 15 €

 

 

WALPS-08/10 - Quartz

Zinggenstock, Grimsel area (Bern, Switzerland)

Loose flawless gemmy crystal of highly lustrous doubly terminated smoky quartz. Botom termination is multiple and the top termination, although seems to have some damage, it is natural however. Undamaged and a nice example of classic alpine Swiss quartz.

4.9x1.7x1.5 - Sold

 

 

WALPS-08/13 - Quartz

Zinggenstock, Grimsel area (Bern, Switzerland)

Loose flawless gemmy face-rich crystal of highly lustrous smoky quartz. Presents a nice "x" face as can be seen in some pictures. Undamaged. Gemminess, color and luster are of the very best you can expect in an alpine smoky quartz.

6.5x2.8x2.6 - 85 €

 

 

WALPS-07/67 - Quartz

Zinggenstock, Grimsel area (Bern, Switzerland)

Large loose flawless gemmy highly lustrous crystal of smoky quartz. Bottom area presents some contacts. Just a tiny nick near the termination as seen in the pictures, otherwise undamaged. For size, luster, color and gemminess, quality is the best one can expect from a Swiss smoky quartz.

9.6x4.7x4 - 235 €

 

 

WALPS-07/78 - Quartz

Gletsch (Valais, Switzerland)

Cluster of doubly terminated lustrous transparent chlorite-coated light smoky quartz crystals on a piece of matrix. There are a few lustrous colorless tabular hexagonal crystal of apatite to 4 mm. across. Undamaged.

5.3x4x3 - 20 €

 

 

WALPS-07/77 - Quartz

Grimsel area (Bern, Switzerland)

Loose crystal of transparent to cloudy quartz with a very slight smoky tint. At the point where it changes from transparent to cloudy there is a void where it is possible to appreciate a partial termination partially regrown by the upper third of the crystal. Although this area may have been formed through dissolution, I believe it is instead the result of a second generation quartz regrown on a shorter previous crystal (the partial termination would be the remnants of the original crystal) to give the actual crystal. It is quite interesting as it stopped crystallization at a mid point and now we can see a "picture" of that natural process. Small black hematite crystals associated. It presents a small ding at the termination.

6.8x2.8x2.3 - 40 €

 

 

WALPS-06/38 - Quartz

Val Giuv (Graubunden, Switzerland)

Fine loose lustrous transparent composite crystal of smoky quartz with some calcite as remains of a previous matrix. Most of the prism faces and the bottom areas are contacted and recrystallized. However undamaged and quite interesting.

5.5x4.3x3.5 - 37 €

 

 

WALPS-06/39 - Quartz

Val Giuv (Graubunden, Switzerland)

Loose doubly terminated transparent crystal of smoky quartz with a fine dusting of chlorite in some faces, mainly at the termination and at back. Some remains of white adularia at bottom. Back of bottom termination is recrystallized. Undamaged.

5x2.7x2.4 - 20 €

 

 

WALPS-06/40 - Quartz

Val Giuv (Graubunden, Switzerland)

Floater cluster of translucent smoky quartz crystals coated by a fine dusting of chlorite. Some small chlorite-coated crystals of adularia associated. Bottom surface is recrystallized. Undamaged.

5.5x3.6x3.4 - 18 €

 

 

WALPS-06/28 - Quartz

Rhône Glacier, Gletsch (Valais, Switzerland)

Matrixless cluster of gemmy transparent smoky quartz crystals to about 4x2 cm. Bottom is completely recrystallized and presents a few small white crystals of adularia to about 5 mm. across. Just a small nick at the termination of one of the minor crystals, otherwise undamaged.

4x3.7x2.8 - 60 €

 

 

WALPS-06/37 - Quartz

Cavradi, Val Tavetsch (Graubunden, Switzerland)

Matrixless cluster of lustrous transparent quartz crystals, the main one being doubly terminated. Presents some contacted/recrystallized areas and some remnants of black hematite crsytals, unfortunately not complete. The main quartz crystal has a tiny nick at the top termination, otherwise undamaged.

5.6x5.2x2.5 - 40 €

 

 

WMISC-S/N-6 - Quartz and dolomite

Ticino (Switzerland)

Lustrous transparent biterminated 5.5x2.5x2.5-cm. quartz crystal on a matrix partly covered by white dolomite penetration twins to 2.5 cm. Some damage to the dolomite and at back of the quartz crystal.

7.5x5x4 - 24 €

 

 

WMISC-S/N-7 - Quartz and dolomite

Ticino (Switzerland)

Matrixless aggregate of quartz crystals in a parallel arrangement, lustrous at the front side and opaque dull at back. A small plate of dolomite crystals attached at back. Some damage in a couple of small areas at back.

8.7x4x2.7 - 18 €

 

 

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