Crowd pleasers.
Crystal Clusters, for Sale
Many crystalsOne shared baseMohs 3 to 7
Crystal clusters are groups of crystals that grew together on one shared base, and every cluster here is one of one. Each is labeled with its mineral and locality and photographed in daylight exactly as it ships.
In stock.
Crystal clusters for sale in the current drop
Crystal clusters for sale in the current drop: 5 one-of-one pieces, each labeled with the mineral and where it was mined.
What a crystal cluster is
A crystal cluster is a group of crystals that grew side by side from the same surface, usually the wall of a cavity or vein, and stayed attached to it. When that base is a different rock, collectors call it matrix. A cluster shows how a mineral grows in nature, which no polished stone can. More in Wikipedia's crystal cluster article.
Crystal clusters in this collection
The crystal clusters in this collection come from the first drop:
- Milky Quartz Cluster, San Juan County, Colorado: stubby white quartz points.
- Cactus Quartz, South Africa: amethyst coated in tiny crystals, the look called spirit quartz.
- Raw Kyanite Cluster, Brazil: blue kyanite blades in pale matrix.
- Celestite Cluster: pale blue strontium sulfate, locality on the label at drop.
- Smoky Quartz Cluster: dark brown quartz points, locality on the label at drop.
Amethyst, apophyllite and citrine clusters
Amethyst, apophyllite and citrine clusters are three of the most searched kinds, and each comes with a buying tip. Amethyst owes its purple to iron and natural radiation and can fade in strong sun; pink amethyst is a paler, rosy variety best known from Argentina. Apophyllite clusters, famous from the basalt of the Deccan Traps in India, are softer than quartz at Mohs 4.5 to 5. Most citrine clusters on the market are amethyst heat treated until it turns orange: deep burnt orange tips fading to white at the base.
What to look for in a crystal cluster
Look for three things in a crystal cluster: intact tips, a solid base and a good display side. A few small dings are normal on a natural cluster, but broken main points are not. A base that crumbles or rocks on the shelf is hard to live with. Every cluster here is photographed as is, so the dings you see are the dings you get.
Crystal cluster care
Crystal cluster care is mostly dusting: use a soft brush or a puff of air between the points. Quartz clusters can take a rinse in plain water. Celestite is soft at Mohs 3 to 3.5 and should stay dry and out of strong sun, kyanite can split along its blades if knocked, and any cluster on crumbly matrix is better dusted than soaked.
Crystal Clusters for Sale FAQ
Are citrine clusters real?
Citrine clusters are real quartz, but most are amethyst that was heat treated to turn orange, not natural citrine.
Can crystal clusters go in water?
Crystal clusters can go in water only when every mineral in them is water safe: quartz is fine, celestite should stay dry.
How do you clean a crystal cluster?
Clean a crystal cluster with a soft brush or a puff of air, working between the points, and rinse it only if it is all quartz.
Where does apophyllite come from?
Apophyllite comes from many places, but most specimens on the market are from India, where it grows in old gas pockets in the Deccan Traps basalt.
Sources
- Crystal cluster, Wikipedia
- Apophyllite, Wikipedia