“Herkimer Diamond” Quartz
Herkimer County, New York, USA
8cm tall x 7.9cm wide
For many who grew up in upstate New York, the term “Herkimer Diamond” brings childhood memories of breaking hard rocks and digging through dirt to find just one perfect, brilliant, clear, double terminated quartz. Since the late 18th century this unusual style of quartz has been associated with New York. Even when similar quartz is found elsewhere in the world, it is still referred to as “Herkimer Style”.
What makes Herkimer Diamonds so special to collectors is the natural brilliance, thus the “diamond” reference, and the crystallography. They form with two pyramidal terminations close to each other, giving them a very distinctive appearance. The most prized are crystals that are large and nearly flawless, but the ultimate Herkimers are the examples that are still on their original matrix.
This Herkimer Diamond on matrix is among the finest known examples. The large clear, angular crystals are emerging from a rough, textured rock base. The crystals exhibit sharp, geometric facets that reflect light, creating a dazzling effect. The contrast between the transparent crystals and the earthy tones of the rock matrix enhances the visual impact, creating a complete 360-degree specimen.
When Wilensky Exquisite Minerals began 40 years ago we had a mineral gallery in the small village of Wurtsboro, NY. The town is a 3-hour drive from the Herkimer region. During that time many miners from Herkimer would bring their latest discoveries to us to sell. In all those years, often being the first to see the best of Herkimer, we have never seen an example of this magnitude.
*This piece has some minor restoration. This is quite common for larger matrix pieces as they come from very hard rock and can often be damaged.