Druzy Amethyst Plate – Alaçam, Turkey – 0.19 lbs

A distinctive Druzy Amethyst Plate from Alaçam, Turkey, featuring a broad crystallized display face covered with densely clustered pale-purple quartz. Mounted vertically on a custom display base, this unusually thin formation creates an impressive five-inch presentation while allowing its delicate profile and contrasting natural matrix to be viewed from multiple angles.

The primary face is coated with thousands of fine amethyst crystals ranging from nearly colorless and pale lavender to softly smoky purple. Much of the crystallization forms rounded, mound-like clusters across the plate, producing a highly dimensional surface with numerous recessed pockets and reflective points.

Selected areas display warmer cream, champagne, and golden-brown coloration associated with the underlying matrix and naturally occurring mineral coatings. These earthy tones contrast beautifully with the cooler lavender crystals and emphasize the uneven contours of the formation. The precise composition responsible for the warm coloration has not been analytically determined.

Despite weighing only 0.19 pounds, the specimen presents an expansive crystallized face approximately five inches tall. Its remarkably thin profile becomes especially apparent from the side, where druzy growth can be seen extending along portions of the edge and into small natural cavities.

The reverse preserves the highly porous tan-to-brown host matrix. Numerous irregular openings, ridges, and hollow impressions reveal the plate’s natural geological structure and create a dramatically different appearance from the densely crystallized front.

Measuring approximately 3 × 0.75 × 5 inches and weighing 0.19 pounds, this mounted specimen combines extensive druzy coverage, subtle lavender coloration, intricate natural texture, and an unusually lightweight plate-like form.

Specifications

Mineral: Amethyst Quartz

Formation: Thin natural matrix plate with extensive druzy crystallization

Locality: Alaçam area, Turkey

Weight: 0.19 lbs (approximately 86 grams)

Dimensions: Approximately 3 × 0.75 × 5 inches

Color: Pale lavender, smoky purple, colorless, champagne, cream, golden brown, and tan

Crystal Habit: Dense fine druzy with rounded, mound-like crystal clusters

Primary Display Face: Broad crystallized surface with recessed pockets, cavities, and extensive reflective coverage

Reverse: Highly porous natural tan-to-brown host matrix with irregular openings and ridges

Profile: Unusually thin plate formation with crystallization extending along selected edges

Color Origin: Purple coloration is consistent with amethyst; warmer surface tones may reflect natural iron-bearing coatings or associated matrix minerals that have not been analytically identified

Luster: Vitreous and highly sparkling

Transparency: Transparent to translucent crystals over opaque natural matrix

Crystal System: Trigonal

Chemical Formula: SiO₂

Mohs Hardness: Approximately 7

Mounting: Affixed to a custom display base produced in-house

Display: Elevated upright collector specimen

Condition: Natural mineral specimen with inherent contacts, incomplete crystals, matrix exposures, cavities, surface coatings, color variations, edge irregularities, and preparation marks

Exact specimen shown

About Alaçam Amethyst

Amethyst is the purple variety of quartz. Its coloration develops when trace iron incorporated into the quartz structure interacts with natural geological irradiation. Differences in chemistry, oxidation, inclusions, and stages of crystal growth can produce colors ranging from nearly colorless lavender to smoky purple and deeper violet.

“Druzy” describes a surface covered by numerous small, closely spaced crystals. Each miniature crystal face reflects light independently, creating the concentrated sparkle visible across this specimen. Rounded clusters formed from densely intergrown microcrystals give portions of the plate an almost botryoidal appearance, although the surface remains visibly crystalline.

Alaçam material is known for amethyst occurring in unusual plates, crusts, and matrix-supported formations. Many examples feature fine sparkling crystallization, warm iron-influenced coloration, porous host material, and delicate purple tones rather than the large dark points more commonly associated with Brazilian or Uruguayan amethyst.

The porous reverse is an important part of this specimen’s character. It preserves the natural host structure behind the amethyst and demonstrates how a visually expansive crystallized plate can remain exceptionally thin and lightweight.

Protect amethyst from prolonged exposure to intense direct sunlight, which may gradually reduce its coloration. Handle this specimen by its custom base and clean it only with a soft, dry brush or gentle air blower.

Collector Notes

This specimen features:

• Natural amethyst from Alaçam, Turkey
• Broad five-inch crystallized plate
• Exceptionally thin and lightweight formation
• Extensive druzy coverage across the primary face
• Thousands of fine reflective quartz crystals
• Rounded, mound-like crystal clusters
• Pale lavender-to-smoky-purple coloration
• Champagne and warm golden-brown accents
• Numerous recessed pockets and natural cavities
• Strong sparkle under direct lighting
• Crystallization extending along selected edges
• Highly porous natural host-matrix reverse
• Dramatically different front and rear appearances
• Custom display base produced in-house
• Elevated upright presentation
• Multiple interesting viewing angles
• Exact specimen pictured

Perfect for collectors of Turkish amethyst, Alaçam minerals, druzy quartz, amethyst plates, matrix specimens, unusual quartz formations, mounted minerals, and highly textured natural crystals.

Professionally packaged and shipped from Colorado.

You will receive the exact specimen shown.

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