Double-terminated morion quartz point with self-healing on one apex — a micro-cluster re-grown over the original damage area. Almost black in color, translucent when held up to direct light.
Item details
| Mineral |
Morion Quartz (very dark smoky quartz variety, SiO₂) |
| Dimensions |
Rough piece — see photographs for scale (±3 mm due to natural variation) |
| Shape |
Double-terminated point with self-healing on one apex |
| Finish |
Rough, unpolished |
| Hardness |
7 Mohs — suitable for wire wrap; protect apices during mounting |
| Origin |
Material acquired from a wholesale lapidary market |
| Treatment |
Untreated |
| Type of piece |
Unique piece |
This specific piece
The most unique feature of this point is its self-healing: one of the apices shows a small cluster of re-grown crystallites over the area where the original crystal was damaged at some point in its geological history. Quartz can "heal" if hydrothermal conditions are favorable — temperature, pressure, and availability of silica in solution — by depositing new crystals on the damaged surface.
The color is almost black; when held up to direct light, it reveals the translucence characteristic of morion. The white clay deposits visible on edges and points are natural residues from the growth environment.
What is morion quartz?
Morion is the darkest variety of smoky quartz: its almost black color is due to a higher density of lattice defects generated by prolonged natural irradiation. The name comes from the Latin morion, already used by Pliny the Elder in the 1st century AD to describe a dark black translucent stone. Unlike obsidian (opaque volcanic glass), morion is a structured mineral crystal that refracts light differently and has a hardness of 7 Mohs compared to 5-5.5 for obsidian.
What kind of setting does it work for?
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Wire wrap in 925 silver or other precious metals — the double termination and prismatic body facilitate anchoring the wire in the middle of the crystal, leaving both apices visible.
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Pendants with framework or cage settings — the dark color contrasts especially well with oxidized silver or copper, creating pieces with dramatic character.
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Mineralogical collection pieces — self-healing and double termination are features of interest to specimen collectors.
Smoky quartz and morion in lapidary tradition
Dark smoky quartz was identified as a protective stone in Scottish Celtic traditions under the name "cairngorm." Morion specifically appears in inventories of medieval apothecaries as a stone of "apotropaic virtue," used in amulets and funerary settings. In the 18th and 19th centuries, dark smoky quartz specimens from the Swiss Alps and the Pyrenees were sought-after collector's items for early European mineralogists.
The symbolic properties attributed to minerals belong to cultural and historical traditions. They are shared for educational purposes, not as medical advice or a substitute for professional care.
How to recognize genuine morion quartz
Genuine morion is translucent when held up to direct light; obsidian is completely opaque. Dyed smoky quartz shows color concentration in cracks and peripheries. Morion has an irregular conchoidal fracture, while glass shows a perfectly smooth and shiny conchoidal fracture.
Frequently asked questions
What is self-healing and how does it affect the piece?
Self-healing is the re-crystallization of quartz over a previously damaged area. The resulting crystallites are firmly adhered to the main mass. It does not compromise the stability of the piece or its use in jewelry.
Is the color natural or treated?
Natural. The translucent black color of morion comes from crystal lattice defects generated by natural irradiation. No detectable treatment; no formal gemological certification.
What type of jewelry is it suitable for?
The double termination and prismatic body make it ideal for wire-wrapped pendants anchored in the middle of the crystal. The dark color combines especially well with oxidized 925 silver or copper.
More rough minerals in our rough minerals collection. For tumbled smoky quartz, visit our tumbled stones collection.
