Mineral Spotlight: Herkimer Diamonds

What exactly is a Herkimer Diamond?

These beautiful stones are not actually diamonds. They are quartz crystals that formed in small cavities in the dolostone rock of Herkimer County, New York. There are a few things that make them different than other quartz varieties.

They are known for exceptional glass-like clarity.
They form with a total of 18 natural faceted sides.
They are naturally double terminated, meaning the crystal shape ends in a point at both ends.

Stunningly clear, double terminated quartz crystals can be found in localities around the world including Afghanistan, Norway and China. But only those found in Herkimer County, New York, earn the name!

While diamonds form in the rough and need to be hand cut and polished, these come out of the ground already looking stunning. And because they have a hardness of 7.5, they are a wonderful option for use in jewelry.