This specimen if from a find of fall 2008, which has really shocked the French fluorite collectors that I know, and is the kind of rare locality find that impresses outsiders as well. The color , lustre, and transparency of these crystals is above average for Chamonix, more of a vibrant pink-red than the usual muted pink hues we have seen in most pockets of these rare Alpine fluorites. This specimen has crystals to 2 cm, perched on stark white, crystallized adularia (feldspar) matrix. It is a stunning association, and contrast. The crystals here are piled up, one atop the other. Note how gemmy and translucent the top crystal is. It has a termination that is complete all around, 360 degrees. In person, this has better lustre than in the photos - it seems very hard to convey accurately. It has been since 1998 and the Pt Kurtz pocket that a single find of pink/red fluorite from the Alps has gotten so much attention and produced a new, unprecedented quality. This does not happen, thus, very often. Few good specimens were available, under several dozen.

This specimen if from a find of fall 2008, which has really shocked the French fluorite collectors that I know, and is the kind of rare locality find that impresses outsiders as well. The color, lustre, and transparency of these crystals is above average for Chamonix, more of a vibrant pink-red than the usual muted pink hues we have seen in most pockets of these rare Alpine fluorites. This particular specimen is one of my favorite miniatures recovered, with SHARP AND GEMMY, transparent crystals to 2.7 cm. They ar evibrantly lustrous - better in person! The crystals are perched on stark white, crystallized adularia (feldspar) matrix. It is a stunning association and contrast. The crystals here are piled up, one atop the other. Note that the apex crystal has a termination that is complete all around, 360 degrees. In person, it is see-through gemmy and more bright than it appears in the photos. The specimen is pristine save a small contact or cleave on the lower and leftmost fluorite crystal, and the tiniest little white spot from an adularia contact on the left edge of the big crystal. The piece displays magnificently. There has ALWAYS been a premium attached to Alpine pink fluorites. I know these seem expensive! However, all I can say is that, in Europe, I have seen the same absolute numbers on pieces but in EUROS instead of in USD. And this at nearly 1.5 ratio, so a super premium. Compared to others I have seen in the past, these are a better quality more in line with what the top gem fluorites of other localities aim for; and the price here is probably more warranted than on any other pocket of pinks fro mthe Alps since 1998 when another such special find came out. It has been since 1998 and the Pt Kurtz pocket that a single find of pink/red fluorite from the Alps has gotten so much attention and produced a new, unprecedented quality. This does not happen, thus, very often. Few good specimens were available, under several dozen.

From the recent finds in Peru (January 2010), this is a hefty, 750-gram specimen of pink fluorite perched BETWEEN bright pyrite on one side, and stark, metallic galena on the other side! The contrasts are striking - I have never seen such a nice combo, with BOTH species side by side flanking the fluorite. The pyrite is in the form of small crystals, with brilliant lustre; while the galenas are bigger crystals with a strange waxy lustre and almost silky in appearance. The contrasts and sparkle factor are very pronounced , here. The pink fluorite measures nearly 5 cm across its bottom edge, so this is a sizable and significant piece. It is pristine as well. We saw a large part of this pocket, and I felt for the overall associations, this was one of the most interesting pieces among them.

This specimen is from the new pocket found in 2007 at these Alpine heights, is INTENSE color for a pink fluorite, almost red. These pieces have been priced at, and sold, for big money - the reason being obvious in person when you compare the color saturation and gemminess/transparency on one from this pocket, to previous finds or the general "Chamonix pink" style. This pocket will stand on its own merits, as one of the great Alpine finds, I believe. Pink or red fluorite is always pricey, but in context, for the quality compared to the norm, these are worth it in my opinion. This particular piece looks like it should be worth far more..it has two SHARP and totally transparent, gemmy octohedra to 3.2 cm on edge, side by side. A small bit of adularia matrix is attached at the bottom. From the front, it looks pristine and dramatically 3-dimensional. The reason it is more reasonably priced than the piece above (#338) is simply because the back here is incomplete. The crystals pulled off from the matrix, leaving a contact face and a small bit of broken fluorite at the upper-right "shoulder" behind the rightmost octohedron. The lower-right photo is shot purposefully looking down a little bit, to accentuate the view to the back of the piece and in fact show the piece at its worst angle. From head-on, all you see is actually the two razor-sharp , gemmy octos and their equally sharp, upwards-thrusting points with a small hillock in between. It is a dramatic piece that displays well and conveys all the color an dtransparency that will make this pocket a classic to remember, without quite the full price that the miners are selling all-around octohedra for.