About Us

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Elegant Crystals specializes in:

Large, natural quartz crystal clusters, points, and spheres;
Distinctive and elegant sculptures and carvings,
Mineral and gemstone rarities from all over the world for the discerning collector and enthusiast. The Elegant Crystals Displays are located in San Francisco, Mountain View and Salinas , California. Please call us at 1-415-318-6717 or email if you would like to visit our stores or arrange a personal tour.

[email protected]

Biographical Sketch by “Crystal Bill” Kaunitz

My initial interest in crystals came from the use of crystals for “light shows”. Clear crystals have the ability to multiply rainbows and pictures when illuminated by lasers, spotlights or projectors. In the late 1970s, our former company, Foreign Embassy Productions, created a series of live musical events, theatrical plays, and light shows based on these techniques.

My interest in crystals soon grew to encompass architecturally shaped natural quartz crystals, which I call “crystal castles” and “crystal cities.” The search for the crystal cities led me to the quartz mines of Arkansas, where I created my first crystal museum. The museum is called The World Crystal Museum, which is an IRS certified tax deductible 501 (c) 3 public benefit organization.

I have collected crystal cities from Arkansas quartz mines and from all around the world. After searching through some 22 million crystals, I found a few hundred natural stones that looked so much like castles, and other types of buildings, that I am convinced that natural crystal shapes have historically influenced architecture for thousands of years. I have created 3 E-books and 2 movies about these quartz crystals.

I developed specialized lighting techniques for photographing the miniature crystals that best represent architectural concepts. My camera equipment is custom designed to create a sense of flying around and inside the crystals. I use multiple LED lights, UV lighting and fiber optics to best bring out the beauty of the tiny crystal palaces.

In my “spare” time, I have worked as an attorney, a mortgage consultant and an art broker for sculptors and muralists. I currently work with my beloved wife, fine artist Nancy Silverhawk, to create large crystal and metal sculptures. The multi-million year old crystal gemstones are blended with traditional cast bronze or steel sculptures.

Nancy has a Masters of Arts degree from UCLA. Bill graduated with honors from the University of Pennsylvania and the University of San Francisco School of Law. He also attended Cornell University and Hastings School of Law.