herchenx
Cave Dweller 
Member since January 2012
Posts: 3,360
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Post by herchenx on Jul 8, 2015 1:00:56 GMT -5
The owners of the Taos Rockers gem shop had just been to Namibia, and had some really cool specimens. The double-terminated smoky quartz with the amethyst center really caught my eye. Like the other store, they had a larger specimen, but the color, nice terminations and smaller crystals growing off the side of this one really set it apart for me.   Purchased from Taos Rockers 229 Cam De La Placita Taos, NM (575) 758-2326 |
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quartz
Cave Dweller
breakin' rocks in the hot sun
Member since February 2010
Posts: 3,359
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Post by quartz on Jul 8, 2015 1:07:43 GMT -5
That be a really nice piece.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Jul 8, 2015 1:11:00 GMT -5
Sweet. Didn't know it was possible.
Jim
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Post by orrum on Jul 8, 2015 6:26:21 GMT -5
Yes very nice! Tumble it!!!! Just kidding! LOL
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Henry
spending too much on rocks
Member since January 2013
Posts: 452
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Post by Henry on Jul 8, 2015 6:49:48 GMT -5
Whoa. Nice! It looks like it can power NCC-1701(D)
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Fossilman
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2009
Posts: 20,723 
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Post by Fossilman on Jul 8, 2015 9:54:36 GMT -5
Awesome score!!
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Post by adam on Jul 8, 2015 12:28:35 GMT -5
That's beyond beautiful and magnificent, more like extraordinary. I bet everyone would like to have an amethyst or smoky that large.
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herchenx
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2012
Posts: 3,360
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Post by herchenx on Jul 8, 2015 12:36:30 GMT -5
yeah adam I've wanted to have a nice smoky specimen, and/or a double terminated quartz crystal that was a really nice specimen for a while. I was pretty excited to find it for a pretty reasonable price (these usually seem to sell for a lot more than I can justify spending) getting the amethyst center was awesome though. I need to find a safe way to display it, apparently light can fade it, although I don't know if the type of light might matter (e.g. would LED light be OK?) - for now it is tucked inside a light-proof box. |
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Post by stephan on Jul 8, 2015 13:55:26 GMT -5
yeah adam I've wanted to have a nice smoky specimen, and/or a double terminated quartz crystal that was a really nice specimen for a while. I was pretty excited to find it for a pretty reasonable price (these usually seem to sell for a lot more than I can justify spending) getting the amethyst center was awesome though. I need to find a safe way to display it, apparently light can fade it, although I don't know if the type of light might matter (e.g. would LED light be OK?) - for now it is tucked inside a light-proof box. Direct sunlight will fade amethyst SLOWLY. More accurately, it will slowly turn it to citrine. High heat will also do this. Indoor lighting will not have the energy to convert it in your lifetime. That is a beautiful stone! |
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Post by adam on Jul 8, 2015 14:27:18 GMT -5
It's always good to go out into nature and find your own specimens, but not all areas have a wide range/availability of minerals. Quartz crystals in Kentucky doesn't get huge, no bigger than a thumb I'd say.
I once left some chalcedony, agate and the like in my mom's car for maybe 4-6 months. I got them out and compared them to the other local specimens. Definitely the stones from the car were significantly lighter. So I would leave crystals in a place where little natural light is available. Boxes are fine. I don't leave all my specimens in boxes, many are left outside and on a dining table and on shelves.
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herchenx
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2012
Posts: 3,360
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Post by herchenx on Jul 8, 2015 14:35:14 GMT -5
yeah adam I've wanted to have a nice smoky specimen, and/or a double terminated quartz crystal that was a really nice specimen for a while. I was pretty excited to find it for a pretty reasonable price (these usually seem to sell for a lot more than I can justify spending) getting the amethyst center was awesome though. I need to find a safe way to display it, apparently light can fade it, although I don't know if the type of light might matter (e.g. would LED light be OK?) - for now it is tucked inside a light-proof box. Direct sunlight will fade amethyst SLOWLY. More accurately, it will slowly turn it to citrine. High heat will also do this. Indoor lighting will not have the energy to convert it in your lifetime. That is a beautiful stone! Thanks for the info stephan! |
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herchenx
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2012
Posts: 3,360
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Post by herchenx on Jul 8, 2015 14:36:17 GMT -5
It's always good to go out into nature and find your own specimens, but not all areas have a wide range/availability of minerals. Quartz crystals in Kentucky doesn't get huge, no bigger than a thumb I'd say. I once left some chalcedony, agate and the like in my mom's car for maybe 4-6 months. I got them out and compared them to the other local specimens. Definitely the stones from the car were significantly lighter. So I would leave crystals in a place where little natural light is available. Boxes are fine. I don't leave all my specimens in boxes, many are left outside and on a dining table and on shelves. I'm chatting with rockroller about trying to dig some of our own crystals. I've never found any variety of quartz other than druzy on some stuff up in Wyoming. If I could dig specimens that would rock. (har de har  |
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Post by Pat on Jul 8, 2015 21:56:25 GMT -5
I've never seen anything like it. Wow!
Thanks for showing us.
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,612
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Post by jamesp on Jul 9, 2015 5:53:38 GMT -5
Very unusual crystal. Nice to see what occurs in very foreign lands.
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Post by gingerkid on Jul 9, 2015 10:01:59 GMT -5
Wow, that's a gorgeous doubly-terminated smoky quartz xtal, herchenx, and love the amethyst center! Unique! Good advice from stephan on caring for your precious. Georgia has plenty of quartz for you and rockroller to hound, John.  |
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