Pyrite with Quartz

Unknown Owner

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Washington pyrites with their amazing striations and patterning, in association with quartz, are simply among the best in the world for collectors. However, few of them can compete for aesthetics or condition with material from other countries, and so these few, such as this, are highly prized. This well balanced piece shows off a complete, lustrous, brassy yellow pyrite cube, measuring 4 cm in length that is aesthetically perched on a nest of lustrous and gemmy, colorless quartz crystals, to 5 cm in length. An old piece, from the heyday here in the 1980s, I was told, and not cleaned except by water since the day it was mined (so it can improve with fancy cleaning, but I also like the natural look). I buy every great one I can get, and for this size range, this IS a great example! For every 1000 Peruvian pyrites, there is one like this from Washington, and the look is quite distinct in person.