Garden quartz freeform, excellent thousand layer growth

Approx dimensions: 2 x 1.75 x 1.5"

Approx weight: 141g

Garden quartz, also called lodolite, is the trade name for clear quartz included with chlorite to create a scene like a miniature mossy garden landscape. The  different types of chlorite inclusions are colored by other trace elements to produce muted tones of green, purple, pink, and coppery browns, reds, and oranges. I think they’re like peering into a tide pool!

Garden quartz is generally sold polished to best reveal its internal features. The inclusions can make the garden quartz appear dark, so it can be especially captivating in bright light or when lit from underneath, illuminating the interior scene.

This freeform piece of garden quartz is a beautiful example of what people call "thousand layer" growth: thin parallel layers of chlorite. In this case the thousand layer growth is a pinkish hue tinged with white, orange, and mint-green in sections. The layers turn into streaky green chlorite at the base.

Note: because garden quartz is heavily included, it is common to see pitting on the surface where inclusions touch the surface and the softer material was pulled away in the polishing process. For the same reason it is also common to have light fracturing or chipping at points and junctions of polished faces. This specimen does exhibit these features!