agates of the Fischbachtal

colourful agates

Agates of the region between the rivers Saar and Nahe in Rhineland Palatinate are well known to every German agate collector. The agates of the region around Baumholder, Freisen and the Steinkaulenberg (close to the town of Idar-Oberstein) are famous because of their colours.

The agates of the Fischbachtal are less known but they are also comparable to the agates of the classical places.

The cracks often going through the whole nodule are sometimes problematic.

The agate is often  found in combination with quarz, amethyst and/or Calcite. You also can find nice druzy nodules with a fine border of agate. 

Agates called “Wegler” are very rare. These agates have a very fine structure and the polished agate has a silky glitter.  Other special types of agates are eye-agates, fortification agates and agate pseudo morph to Calcite.

Some of the agates show under uv-light a light yellow or orange shining.

My collection consists mostly of agates from the quarries Juchem and Bernhard (Fischbachtal), the old quarry Setz, the Steinkaulenberg and of some pieces I found on the fields around the towns of Birkenfeld and Freisen.