Sceptre Quartz

A variety of Quartz

Sceptre quartzes (American English spelling: Scepter quartzes) are crystals in which a second generation crystal tip grew on top of another quartz crystal. In a typical scepter quartz, the younger tip is larger than the first tip, but it may also be smaller (then sometimes called a "reverse scepter"). To be a scepter quartz, the second-generation quartz crystal must grow parallel to the underlying crystal. Whether the second generation grew on the old tip, sideways on the prism, or somewhere in between is not relevant.

Small crystals usually carry only one scepter, but on large crystals the faces may instead be covered by numerous smaller scepters. Scepters may also be stacked in parallel.

In the "classical" kind of scepter quartz, as shown in the first 3 head photos, the scepter and the first generation quartz crystal often differ markedly in their habits, surface structure, luster and color:
- Almost all scepters only show the basic crystallographic forms (rhombohedra and prism), and no accessory faces, regardless of the forms and habits of the underlying crystal.
- The typical striation of the prism faces is often missing on the scepter, while being present on the underlying crystal.
- While the crystal carrying the scepter may be tapered, the scepter is usually not.
- The first generation crystal may be a macromosaic quartz, scepters never are.
- Very often the scepter shows skeletal growth forms that are absent on the first generation crystal.

The change in color and morphology between the underlying crystal and the scepter is abrupt, there is usually no gradual transition.

Some scepter quartzes, like the specimen shown on the right head photo, do not show the morphological discontinuity that is typical for the classical scepters. Instead, the change in morphology is gradual. They are often developed as reverse scepters that may be tapered and distorted, but overall appear as a continuous extension of the prism. In some cases the crystal tip carries several scepters of different size that grade into each other. These scepter quartzes are usually small. They are typically found in cavities of volcanic rocks.

Note: Some quartz crystals have a narrow base because their growth was inhibited by other minerals. These are not scepter quartzes.