Quartz Var. Herkimer Diamond

An impressive high-grade Herkimer Diamond cluster featuring a large, sharply formed Herkimer Diamond accompanied by many smaller Herkimer diamonds arranged in two distinct groupings. The main crystal displays a faint smoky hue caused by disseminated pyrobitumen, with striking jet-black hydrocarbon (anthraxolite) inclusions that offer bold internal contrast. Well-balanced and sculptural, this piece stands out for its quality and complexity, particularly at this size. A fine example of Herkimer quartz crystallization with excellent clarity, luster, and visual appeal.

This Herkimer Diamond was mined in 2024 by Willie Fannon and Heidi Grunenwald from a hydrocarbon-rich pocket located in the Herkimer Diamond Mine in Middleville, New York. The pocket—slightly smaller than a volleyball—was dense with anthraxolite and yielded numerous high-grade crystals ranging from water-clear to champagne smoky, with the finest examples like this one exhibiting outstanding sharpness and form. As with most Herkimer Diamond clusters of this size, it has been expertly reconstructed along one natural contacts with Loctite Light Cure Adhesive.