Quartz

Rock crystal/Quartz

Colourless quartz crystals are usually called rock crystal. They were formed during the geological formation of the Alps, caused by pressure from the African continental plate, which began to slide under the European continental plate about 135 million years ago. During this process, cavities, so-called fissures, were formed and filled with hot, aqueous solutions.

These hydrothermal waters dissolved mineral substances from the surrounding rock and, depending on their composition, crystals were formed at temperatures between 300 and 400 degrees and under enormous pressure of up to 3000 psi.

Recently found traces of prehistoric human activity in the Cavardiras region, which obviously searched for and mined quartz for the production of tools, suggest that crystals were already being searched for in our mountains long before the ancient Romans.

Photo: Group of rock crystals from Piz Regina GR, Felix Spahr collection; not for sale.

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Quartz

Fadenquarz, 25 x 15 x 38 mm, 6 g, First, Grindelwald, BE

Sceptre Quartz Aggregate, 25 x 10 x 22 mm, 5 g, First, Grindelwald, BE

Amethyst Cluster, 180 x 65 x 210 mm, 3658 g, Zinggenstock, Grimsel, BE

Needle Quartz Cluster, 102 x 55 x 50 mm, 167 g, Männlichen, BE

Actinolite and Quartz, 60 x 40 x 40 mm, 89 g, Val Cavrein, GR

Sceptered Quartz Cluster, 40 x 25 x 35 mm, 30 g, Jäggichnubel, Lötschental, VS

Sceptered Quartz Point, 25 x 20 x 45 mm, 35 g, Jäggichnubel, Lötschental, VS

Sceptered Quartz Point, 15 x 15 x 47 mm, 9 g, Jäggichnubel, Lötschental, VS

Double Pointed Quartz, 70 x 25 x 77 mm, 55 g, Wasserschloss Kessiturm, Grimsel, BE

Sceptered Quartz Point, 70 x 60 x 145 mm, 659 g, Val Curnera, GR

Quartz with Actinolite Inclusions, 55 x 20 x 25 mm, 40 g, Val Veny, IT

Epidote and Quartz on Matrix, 100 x 80 x 35 mm, 262 g, Val Cavrein, GR

Quartz Sceptre, 70 x 95 x 60 mm, 479 g, Val Curnera, GR

Quartz in Tessin Habit with Muscovite, 35 x 25 x 60 mm, 43 g, Griesgletscher, Obergoms, VS

Quartz in Tessin Habit, 35 x 25 x 50 mm, 23 g, Griesgletscher, Obergoms, VS

Etched Quartz in Tessin Habit, 18 x 15 x 45 mm, 10 g, Scherbadung, Binntal, VS