Specular Hematite is not a druzy exactly; rather, it's a rare, crystalline form of hematite where the rhombohedral (diagonally-tilting cubic) crystals are layered atop one another throughout the whole stone. Also called Specularite and "Alaska Black Diamond," the effect is stunning: Imagine the silvery grey-black of regular hematite, and make it sparkly. Usually Specular Hematite is fairly crumbly, but in a small proportion of specimens, you can find jewelry-quality material that is densely-packed, forming a sturdy stone. That's what I'm offering here. Be forewarned, however: These pieces are definitely not meant for rings, buckles, or even bracelets. They should be fine for pendants, earrings, and other light-wear jewelry. Some very slight flaking of pinpoints of material might occur when handled extensively, but it won't be noticeable because the underlying material looks just the same as the surface crystals. The beveled sides and backs are smooth and flat. Not to make too much of a pun on these, I'm trying them on "spec," so these are all that I have now.

Specular Hematite    
27 x 17mm  

ZBW79     $34.00

Specular Hematite    
21.5 x 20mm  

ZBW83     $40.00

Specular Hematite    
18 x 17mm  

ZBW84     $30.00

I must admit that when I came across these stones, I nearly passed out, they are so gorgeous: Imagine tiny cubes of shiny, jet-black tumbling over one another, sparkling and flashing like stars in the night, and you might have a sense of how spectacular these pieces are.  Mined in  Julimes, Chihuahua, Mexico, they are real garnet: all natural color, undyed and untreated. Like any druzy, these are not meant for high-wear jewelry, although the crystals are real garnet, a hard stone. All have flat backs, but their sides are mostly unpolished and need to be covered.  Please note: I have deliberately made some of Doug's photos lighter than reality so that you can make out the crystal structure. In person, all the crystals are shiny patent-leather black. Click on photos to enlarge images.

Black Garnet Druzy     Mexico
Waves of small to large crystals on the face of this piece send out sparkles and flashes of light. 30 x 24mm, 7.5 to 10mm thick  

ZBW179     $180.00

Black Garnet Druzy     Mexico
Jumbo, well-defined crystals are interspersed with smaller ones; all flash spectacularly. 23 x 13mm, 8.5mm thick  

ZBW11     $100.00  Sorry, Sold!

Black Garnet Druzy     Mexico
This is a hefty piece with nice coverage of mostly medium crystals. 31.5 x 17mm, 8mm thick  

ZBW180     $90.00

Black Garnet Druzy     Mexico
This piece is also substantial, with fewer overall crystals that still flash, but in a slightly muted way. 25.5 x 14mm, 9mm thick  

ZBW181     $65.00

Black Garnet Druzy     Mexico
This is a small piece with a hodgepodge of small to big crystals. 13 x 10mm  

ZBW25     $24.00

Black Garnet Druzy     Mexico
The crystal faces on this little accent piece send out nice flashes, although they don't push out of the surface much. 17.5 x 8mm  

ZBW29     $30.00

Black Garnet Druzy     Julimes, Chihuahua, Mexico
For a small piece, this beauty sports big crystals and big flash. 18.5 x 12.5 x 6.5 mm thick  

ZBW21     $36.00

SPECIAL VALUE: Black Garnet Druzy

Black Garnet Druzy     Mexico
This piece has lovely tiny crystals that sparkle like crazy...Only problem is, the sides are rough as though they forgot to finish and polish them. You could do it yourself, or cover it with a bezel strip, and get a great stone at great savings. 19 x 11.5mm, 6.5mm thick  

ZBW186     $24.00  reg $34.00

    There are two main types of black druzy: Black agate druzy and psilomelane druzy. Psilomelane druzy, with black crystals in a hematite-colored matrix, had been mined in New Mexico until a few years ago, when highly unstable matrix conditions forced the closure of the mine. Now psilomelane druzy is very rare and difficult to obtain.

    A replacement for psilomelane druzy is black agate druzy. The agate is mined in South America, and emerges from the ground white or clear.  It is not technically dyed; rather, it receives an unusual treatment: The finished cabochons are soaked in a warm sugar syrup for 30 days, which turns them a bright orange. After this, they are dipped into sulfuric acid. The resulting chemical reaction gives them a permanent black color. 

    The black druzy cabs on this page are extremely high quality, perfectly cut and calibrated, with fine, uniform crystals. They will add a touch of elegance to any piece of jewelry, and would look spectacular set in gold. They are extremely versatile--the pairs can be used in studs with other cabs hanging beneath.
 

Black Druzy    
14.5 x 7.5mm teardrop  

ZBW72     $32.50

Black Druzy    
8 mm triangle pair  

ZBW52     $50.00  Sorry, Sold!

Jumbo White  Druzy Agate     Indonesia
Blindingly snow-white agate is loaded with sparkling crystals, framed at the sides by grey. 58.5 x 42 mm, 13 mm thick, 39.4 g  

ZN543     $68.00

Jumbo White  Druzy Agate     Indonesia
The cool glassy agate surround is warmed by the soft yellow tinting on portions of the druzy. 55 x 38.5 mm 10.5 mm thick, 24.4 g  

ZN557     $48.00

Jumbo White Druzy Agate     Indonesia
This piece is translucent, especially around the edges. 48 x 29 mm, 9 mm thick, 14.8 g  

ZN565     $42.00

White Quartz Druzy    
35 x 26.5 mm, 6.5 mm thick  

ZBW144     $38.50

White Quartz Druzy    
35 x 20 mm, 6.5 mm thick  

ZBW150     $36.00

White Quartz Druzy    
This piece has tall, sloping sides that you can see the gleam of crystals through. A snap to bezel-set. 29.5 x 21.5 mm, 11 mm thick  

ZBW149     $40.00

White Quartz Druzy    
30.5 x 21.5 mm, 6 mm thick  

ZBW151     $32.00

White Quartz Druzy    
The druzy area has nice big folds, and the black specks add design interest. 34.5 x 21 mm, 7 mm thick  

ZBW160     $34.00  Sorry, Sold!

White Quartz Druzy    
32.5 x 23 mm  

ZBW153     $32.00

White Quartz Druzy    
32 x 21 mm, 10.5 mm thick  

ZBW161     $31.50

White Quartz Druzy    
30 x 26 mm, 6 mm thick  

ZBW145     $32.50

White Quartz Druzy    
31 x 20.5 mm, 9 mm thick  

ZBW155     $28.00

White Quartz Druzy    
30.5 x 23 mm, 4-8 mm thick  

ZBW156     $26.00

White Quartz Druzy Teardrop     Indonesia
This is a very interesting piece. The crystals are so tiny that they don't sparkle. Instead, they look like incredibly soft, rich fabric in a mouthwatering white. 31 x 25 mm, 10 mm thick  

ZN536     $30.00

SPECIAL VALUE: White Quartz Druzy    
This is a neat piece. It sits quite tall, and the druzy crystals are especially sparkly. But it does have a bit of roughness in one area  of the base, most of which could be covered by a bezel strip. 37 x 21.5 mm, 7 to 10.5 mm thick  

ZBW143     $32.00  reg. $40.00

White Quartz Druzy    
20 x 20mm  

ZBW94     $17.99

Natural White Quartz Druzy   Bali
This piece has a tinge of very light peach below the top left corner. 23 x 19 mm

GM 4042    $18.99

Jumbo Wind Cloud Druzy Agate     Indonesia
54 x 30 mm, 9 mm thick, 17.8 g  

ZN566     $40.00

Wind Cloud Druzy Teardrop     Indonesia
This one is very interesting...Flip it over and there is a marvelous fernlike dendrite embedded in the back. 31 x 22 mm

ZN528     $22.00

Wind Cloud Druzy    
27.5 x 18.5mm  

ZBW100     $23.99

Wind Cloud Druzy    
28 x 15mm  

ZBW101     $22.00

Wind Cloud Druzy    
29.5 x 18mm  

ZBW103     $15.99

Wind Cloud Druzy    
19.5 x 13mm  

ZBW110     $8.99