Collection: Herkimer Diamond

Herkimer diamonds are double-terminated quartz crystals discovered within exposed outcrops of dolomite in and around Herkimer County, New York and the Mohawk River Valley.^[1][2] Not actually diamonds, the "diamond" in their name is due to both their clarity and natural faceting - crystals possess double termination points and 18 total faces (six on each point, six around the center). Because the first discovery sites were in the village of Middleville and in the city of Little Falls, respectively, the crystal is also known as a Middleville diamond or a Little Falls diamond.^[3]

Herkimer diamonds have the typical crystal habit of quartz; however, however, instead of having a termination on one end they are doubly terminated. This is a result of the crystals growing with very little or no contact with their host rock.

Doubly terminated crystals are very rare. This is what makes "Herkimer diamonds" amazing creations of nature. They are very popular with mineral collectors.