very rare, very clear rock crystal sphere with thick clusters of brightly glowing rutilated quartz needles

A very rare clear rock crystal sphere from Madagascar, with dense clusters of brightly colored rutile needles. The finest titanium oxide crystals run through the transparent quartz volume like frozen light rays.

Rutilated quartz consists of clear rock crystal with embedded rutile needles (TiO₂). The rutile forms during quartz crystallization and is simultaneously enclosed by the expanding quartz lattice, a simultaneous multi-component mineralization.

Brightly colored rutile needles show light refraction effects: the finest TiO₂ fiber bundles break light into its spectral components, making the needle structures appear in rainbow tones. Classified in the collector's trade as iris rutile.

Madagascar supplies quartz with rutile inclusions from the pegmatite deposits of the Vakinankaratra region. Such iris rutilated quartz of premium clarity is collector-relevant and gemologically classified.

A collector's item with gemologically exceptional multi-component optics and iris phenomenon.