09 Jun 2023

Specimens: The Beauty of Collecting Minerals and Crystals

The value and significance of mineral specimens and crystals have long been understood across civilizations. During the Victorian era, the collection of specimens gained popularity amongst royalty and sovereigns across Europe. As these specimens gained popularity, demand for crystal specimens grew, creating wealth for those who kept them.

Today, mineral specimens remain a popular object to collect as home decor, with some growing into discerning collections, due to their captivating beauty and metaphysical properties. At Tamsen Z, we’ve always sought to source rare and unique gemstones for our jewelry pieces. Rare, unexpected, and daring is what we do best, with showstopping stones that come with a story as grand as the works of art designed by Ann Ziff.

With rare gemstones and minerals at the heart of Tamsen Z’s designs, we found it more than fitting to partner with Fine Minerals International, the market leader in fine mineral specimens to offer our clientele the rarest and most exclusive mineral specimens in the world.

Pyrite Specimen

Pyrite, commonly referred to as fool's gold, is known for its rich gold hues which are deceptively similar to that of gold. The namesake Pry, Greek for fire, symbolizes the fiery reflection of light against the crystal's surface. Interestingly, consistent with the crystal’s Greek name Pry, when struck with force, the specimen releases a fiery spark.

Ideally, pyrite is found in sharp, distinct cubic crystal formations, as seen in the crystal specimen above. What makes this crystal specimen valuable for collections and decor is its strong, crisp twinned structure. Finding such clarity in its cubic system is what makes nature's minimalist approach so special. Placing a pyrite specimen in your home is thought to boost confidence, reduce anxiety, and encourage abundance across all facets of one’s life.

This captivating Pyrite Specimen comes from Navajún, La Rioja, Spain. Weighing 2.53 kg, this specimen makes for a dynamic piece of modern art decor. Place it on your coffee table, credenza, or entryway to improve the metaphysical properties of your home.

Pallasite Meteorite Specimen

Pallasites make up a class of meteorites which are rare and challenging to source. Their rarity comes from the combination of metals and minerals they contain. Combining nickel, iron, and olivine crystals, pallasite meteorites boast a stunning mosaic pattern.

There are only 61 pallasite falls known to date, many of which do not produce high-quality whole meteorites. Therefore, Pallasite Meteorites of the size and caliber seen here, sourced in partnership with Fine Minerals International, are scarce treasures coveted by many. This impressive Meteorite Slice Specimen originates from Magadan, Russia. Filled with olivine and displaying the infamous Widmanstätten cross pattern etched across the iron, it’s both a work of art and a display of nature's natural beauty.

Aquamarine Specimen

Aquamarine gets its namesake from the Latin word aqua, meaning water, which symbolizes the stone's recognizable blue-green sea hues. Aquamarine is a stone filled with rich history and deep symbolic meanings. In ancient times the stone was used by sailors to ensure safety and prosperity when sailing across waters. Today, the stone remains a popular choice for both jewelry and home decor due to its distinct color. Aquamarine is believed to be a “good luck” stone, bringing peace, love, joy, and happiness into one’s life.

This Aquamarine Specimen features a single, gemlike aquamarine crystal in a matrix of albite. Originating from the Shigar Valley in Pakistan, this breathtaking specimen shows the aquamarine in its fully terminated form, hexagonal, smooth, and faceted. Its sky-blue hues and transparency highlight the specimen’s impressive quality. Though commonly seen in jewelry, aquamarine makes a stunning showpiece for the collection, due to its eye-catching color and natural clarity.

Quartz and Graphite Inclusions Specimen

Graphite occluded quartz is easily recognizable by its sand-like graphite phantoms gently suspended within the quartz crystal. Beyond its mysterious beauty, it comes with many benefits and symbolic uses, namely clarity and stability. It is also known to provide confidence and decisiveness.

This impressive Quartz with Graphite Inclusions comes from the Jinkouhe District in China and boasts an impressive size, standing 31 cm tall. Combining translucency and clarity with the striking graphite inclusions, this specimen is a rare treasure and a worthy addition to any collection.

Gold Specimen

Crystalized gold is the rarest and most beautiful form of natural gold. Typically, gold is found in nuggets or flakes. In rare cases, less than 5% approximately, gold is found in a crystallized form. These crystallized gold specimens are both rare and extremely valuable due to both their scarcity and the processes involved in mining crystallized gold.

This Gold Specimen was extracted from Gan Zhi Zhou Mine in China. Showing a bright yellow hue and incredible lustre, this specimen indicates a very high gold content and value, making it collection-worthy quality. Its striking crystalline features display skeletal, dendritic, and octahedral structures. The distinct faces, sharp terminations, and impressive dimensionality make it a highly valuable piece.

Conclusion

At Tamsen Z, we’ve always prioritized rare gemstones that have been carefully sourced. Incredible stone size, clarity, and color are at the heart of each of our jewelry designs. Therefore, we’ve found no collaboration more fitting than this partnership with Fine Minerals International. It provides us with the opportunity to share the natural beauty of crystal specimens with our clients and educate our community about the origins of each stone. With deep symbolic meaning, impressive stories, and incredible quality, each specimen makes for an incredible showpiece, worthy of both art and jewelry collections alike.