Rock Crystal Quartz Maderanertal Silenen Uri Switzerland Alpine Specimen From Alice Purnell Collection with Certificate of Authenticity

Alpine Rock Crystal Quartz – Maderanertal, Silenen, Uri, Switzerland

This exceptional Rock Crystal Quartz specimen originates from Maderanertal in Silenen, Canton Uri, Switzerland, a world-renowned Alpine locality celebrated for producing outstanding quartz crystals. Offered from the Alice Purnell Collection, this is a genuine natural specimen and includes a Certificate of Authenticity lifetime guarantee generic card. The photographs show the exact crystal you will receive. Full sizing details are provided in the listing images.

Swiss Alpine quartz is internationally recognised for its clarity, sharp crystal form, and classic aesthetic, making it highly desirable among serious mineral collectors and locality enthusiasts.

Mineral Information – Rock Crystal Quartz

Rock Crystal is the colourless and transparent variety of Quartz, composed of silicon dioxide (SiO₂). Quartz crystallises in the trigonal crystal system and commonly forms six-sided prismatic crystals with pyramidal terminations.

Alpine quartz crystals are especially valued for their well-defined faces, bright vitreous lustre, and high degree of natural transparency. Many specimens display crisp edges, glass-like surfaces, and internal growth features such as veils, inclusions, or faint phantoms formed during multiple stages of crystal development.

With a Mohs hardness of 7, quartz is durable and suitable for long-term cabinet display. Its conchoidal fracture and natural brilliance contribute to its timeless appeal.

Geological Setting – The Swiss Alps

The Maderanertal region lies within the central Swiss Alps, an area shaped by complex tectonic processes associated with the Alpine orogeny. Rock Crystal from this locality forms in Alpine fissures—natural cracks and cavities within metamorphic host rocks such as gneiss and granite.

Over millions of years, mineral-rich hydrothermal fluids circulated through these fissures. As temperature and pressure conditions changed, silica slowly crystallised, forming exceptionally clear and sharply terminated quartz crystals. The slow growth environment typical of Alpine fissures is responsible for the high clarity and well-developed morphology of Swiss Rock Crystal.

Quartz from Maderanertal is often associated with minerals such as adularia (Alpine feldspar), chlorite, rutile, and hematite, depending on the specific pocket conditions.

Collector Significance and Display Appeal

Alpine quartz specimens from Uri are considered classic European mineral locality pieces. Their provenance adds both geological and historical interest, as Alpine crystal hunting has a long tradition in Switzerland.

This Rock Crystal specimen is ideal for:

• Advanced and beginner mineral collectors

• Alpine locality collectors

• Natural history and geology displays

• Educational collections

• Elegant interior décor featuring authentic natural minerals

Rock Crystal has also been traditionally associated with spiritual symbolism in various cultures, though today it is primarily appreciated for its geological formation, clarity, and iconic crystal habit.

Authenticity and Provenance

This specimen is a genuine Swiss Rock Crystal Quartz from Maderanertal, Silenen, Uri, and comes from the Alice Purnell Collection. It includes a Certificate of Authenticity lifetime guarantee generic card, confirming its authenticity as a natural mineral specimen.

You will receive the exact crystal shown in the photographs, carefully chosen for its quality, clarity, and collector presentation.

An Alpine Rock Crystal from Switzerland represents one of the most classic and sought-after quartz localities in the world, offering a remarkable example of natural crystal growth formed deep within the heart of the Swiss Alps.