This tree carries 200 small polished pieces of clear quartz, see-through and whitish. Warm LED lights sit among its twisted gold-coloured wire branches. Pale stone chips cover the foot of the tree, with a glass dome above and a round dark brown base below. Made in India.
Light inside colourless stones
Clear quartz, also called rock crystal, is the colourless, transparent form of quartz. Because it is see-through, the LED light shines right through it and the stones seem to glow from within. In the evening the warm LEDs give the colourless stones a golden glow; by day they show a cool, icy sparkle.
Chandelier makers prized it for the same reason. In the 17th century the finest French chandeliers were hung with drops cut from rock crystal, because it scatters light so well.
Its German name, Bergkristall, means mountain crystal, as it was once gathered from rock clefts in the Alps.
At home in any room
Colourless stones clash with nothing, so the tree suits a bright modern flat just as well as a living room with old furniture. Clear quartz is said to be the stone of clear sight. If that tradition appeals to you, put it on your desk.
Cable, size and cleaning
No cable comes with the tree. For the lights you will need a USB cable, which plugs in at the front of the base. When you move it, hold the base rather than the dome. With the dome, the tree is 24.5 cm tall, 16 cm wide and about 1.2 kg. Under the glass the stones stay free of dust, and only the dome needs an occasional wipe.
The clarity and inner markings of the stones differ from piece to piece, and the branches are shaped by hand, so no two trees are the same.