Detailed information
Species
Adularia
Dimensions
150 x 145 x 76
mm
Locality
Cristallina Valley Grischun Switzerland
Condition
No recorded repairs
An Alpine classic from the mountains of Switzerland. Large, sharp crystals of Adularia (a variety of K-Feldspar) are known from across the European Alps but some localities are more famous than others. The Cristallina Valley in Grischun, Switzerland, is one of the best known sites for large Adularia crystals. This specimen comprises a thin plate of granitic matrix coated with hundreds of small (4 to 7 mm) cream coloured Adularia crystals. On one edge of this plate, a dramatic 6.3 x 5.3 x 5 cm aggregate of large, white, glassy Adularia crystals stands proud. The rear of this aggregate is a rough, broken surface where the crystals were previously attached to the rockface, but the front facing display sides of the crystals are perfect. The largest individual Adularia crystal is an impressive 5 cm across and displays the classic wedge-shaped form and the typical growth lines at the end of the prism. A superb example of a Swiss classic.