Tessin habit quartz - Making a point

Let’s assume for a moment that there is a creator of minerals and crystal specimens. Seeing all the fantastic minerals out there, in their combinations and shapes – that’s pure creativity! However, there must have been some absinthe involved when the Tessin habit quartzes were created! The combinations and crazy shapes shown by this variety of quartz are not rivalled by any other quartz variety. The most remarkable feature is their pointy form, where the prism column is trending towards the point of the crystal, which in extreme cases can look like an arrow head!

Of the Swiss localities producing Tessin habit quartz, two must be highlighted. For one, the Tessin itself. The southernmost province of Switzerland has outstanding food, and even more outstanding crystals! Within the Tessin habit locations, the Val Bedretto stands out when it comes to those crystals.

The second locality is in the province of Valais, in the southwest of Switzerland. Most famous here is the Binnvalley with countless localities, and among them the well-known Turbenalp, with a particularly high number of crystal pockets. Most often Tessin habit crystals are colourless and clear like water, but smoky quartz has been found there too. Some specimens even show amethyst-coloured zones. But the most classic is water-clear (like Schnaps!).

Tessin habit quartz often comes as single points, because the host rock, soft schist called „Bündnerschiefer“, is not particularly robust. But if a crystal is well positioned on matrix, or multiple crystals are grouped together, it is difficult to beat the aesthetics!

Interestingly enough, Tessin habit quartz is prone to be accompanied by a big variety of minerals: I have seen wonderful combinations of Tessin habit Quartz with Rutile, Anatase, Brookite, Titanite, Calcite, Turmaline, Pyrite, Magnetite, Hematite, Siderite, just to name a few. This is partly because the Binnvalley and also Val Bedretto are home to a vast range of minerals.

Last season, a particularly big find was made: a well-known Swiss strahler found a massive cleft with several huge Tessin habit crystals of over 100 kg, and even groups with up to 600 kg were found! This was an unusual find – normal pockets produce crystals up to 10 cm, anything above that is already considered big.

Looking for Tessin habit quartz is a wonderful pastime, not as difficult and dangerous as in granite areas like Tiefenglacier, Grimsel or Mt Blanc. The good zones are easily accessible and not as high up in the mountains, meaning you can already go prospecting earlier in the year, when the high-alpine areas are still covered with snow. However, your trip will leave its marks on you: the host rock Bündner Schiefer produces black dust that goes into each pore of your skin and below your fingernails, making it practically impossible to have clean hands for a long time afterwards. But who doesn’t like to get dirty for crystals every now and then?

On a last note, there are a few surprising places that also produced Tessin habit Quartz: Val Curnera in Grisons, Brichplanggenstock in Uri and Zinggenstock in Bern. Further, the good zones of Val Bedretto and Binn Valley can be tracked over some neighbouring valleys too. Next to the classics, we have some more uncommon localities on offer for you. Let yourself be surprised – and as usual – should you be looking for something special, feel free to reach out!