Zircon as a doubly-terminated crystal in Nepheline /Phlogopite matrix with Albite
Gridone near Camedo, Centovalli, Ticino, Switzerland
 
Pristine pink-brown Zircon crystal (2.3 x 1.8 cm) with transparent portions, high lustre, colour iridescence and attractive vicinal faces, roundish and like "melted" – an extremely rare piece! The matrix is rich in smoky striped Nepheline. Habit typ s22 (cf. LAPIS 10/2007, p. 20). Recovered in June 2017 from Nepheline pegmatite #2 on the northern flank of Gridone mountain, ex Stefan Weiß collection (H.859-69). All Zircons of this worldwide unique locality are chemically particularly pure and hence show an intense yellow fluorescence in short-wave UV light!