Quartz

specimen number:
2062550

location:
Middleville, New York, USA

description:
A large glassy gem colorless double terminated floater crystal of quartz. These are known locally as Herkimer diamonds. This is in very good condition with just slight tiny minimal micro-damage present. No points of attachment. The specimen comes with a previous collection label from Ray DeMark.

Middleville, New York, gained widespread recognition during the late 18th century when settlers and workmen first uncovered unique quartz crystals in local fields and road cuts. While specific municipal incorporation and closure dates do not apply to the village itself, the area's famous commercial collecting sites, such as the Ace of Diamonds and Herkimer Diamond Mines, operate seasonally from spring through autumn rather than closing permanently. Geologically, the region is defined by the 500-million-year-old Cambrian Little Falls Dolostone, a carbonate rock formed in an ancient shallow sea. Within this bedrock, acidic groundwater created small cavities or vugs where silica-rich fluids slowly crystallized over millions of years. This process produced the famous "Herkimer diamonds," which are exceptionally clear, double-terminated quartz crystals prized for their natural brilliance and geometric facets.

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