Zomba Crossed Twin Rainbow Smoky Quartz Polished Standing Points - 90mm, 327g

Locality - Zomba, Malawi
Size – 90 x 61 x 58mm
Weight – 327g

This polished smoky quartz crystal features exquisite crossed twin formation with two sharply terminated points splaying outwards at its apex, one smaller termination through its side and two small, natural terminations nestled in its side inbetween the main stems. It has delicious cola brown colour with minor hints of golden limonite and is filled with internal reflective veils boasting spectacularly bright, vivid rainbows, a few of which I have managed to photograph (do have a good long at this in strong light when you have it at home!). It has been expertly polished to a high lustre to follow its unique natural form with some natural details left and is a truly characterful piece, making a treasured addition to any quartz lovers collection. All our smoky quartz crystals are natural, genuine, non-treated specimens.

Smoky quartz is grey, brown or black variety of quartz, coloured by gamma irradiation from natural processes and the presence of traces of aluminium built into its crystal lattice. This smoky colouration can also be found in some amethyst or citrine crystals. Specimens of smoky quartz with intense dark brown to black colouration are known as morion quartz and are highly reflective, appearing to be almost opaque. Brazil and Malawi are the worlds leading suppliers of smoky quartz and produce some of the finest specimens available today. Smoky quartz is also the national gem of Scotland where it is called “cairngorm” after the Cairngorm Mountains where unique yellow-brown specimens are found.

Quartz is the most common mineral found on the surface of the Earth, occurring in virtually every locality. Pure crystals are colourless, transparent and hard, though many are coloured by natural processes such as irradiation or by inclusions of certain elements. These coloured varieties include the popular gemstones amethyst, purple quartz, and citrine, yellow quartz. Some quartz crystals have unique inclusions of minerals that have grown within them, such as golden rutile, tourmaline or chlorite, and others may show silvery reflective internal veils and bright rainbows. Whilst the majority of quartz is created from molten magma that has cooled and crystallized, much quartz also chemically precipitates from hot hydrothermal veins. Well-formed crystals deep within the Earth can reach colossal sizes, with some measuring several meters in length and weighing hundreds of kilograms.

Smoky quartz can be artificially created by irradiating clear quartz, often turning them into an opaque black morion colour. These treated specimens can be identified by their milky white crystal base - whereas natural ones have smoky colouration throughout - and they fade more quickly when exposed to sunlight. This practise is most common in Arkansas where few natural smoky quartz specimens are found. Many smoky quartz specimens from China are simply glass, easily recognized by their unnatural consistent dark colour and lack of inclusions. Some sellers have also been known to sell cut specimens of smoky quartz as 'smoky topaz' in an attempt to fetch a higher price, however, this gemstone does not exist.