The Top Rocks Project was founded in 2017 by Federico and Lapo, two long-time friends who met in Florence, Italy, and discovered a shared passion for mineralogy. What began as a personal hobby soon evolved into a project dedicated to sourcing, curating, and sharing fine mineral specimens with fellow collectors around the world.
Based in Florence, in the heart of Tuscany — a region renowned for its rich mineral heritage — we are continuously inspired by the geological diversity surrounding us. Tuscany is known among collectors for some of the world’s best pyrite crystals, brilliant stibnites and cinnabar, and of course, the remarkable elbaites, beryls, and ilvaites from Elba Island. Our close connection to this territory shapes much of our collecting philosophy.
While our main focus remains on Tuscan and Sardinian minerals, our interests extend well beyond Italy. We are always seeking unique specimens from classic and contemporary localities worldwide, with an emphasis on aesthetics, rarity, and authenticity.
Although we are not full-time dealers, our approach is guided by professionalism and passion. Each specimen we offer has been personally selected for quality and scientific or aesthetic interest — often coming directly from our own collection.
Through this website, we aim to share not only our available specimens, but also our experiences, fieldwork stories, and insights from mineral shows and collecting trips.
If you share our fascination for the natural beauty of minerals, we invite you to explore our collection. And if you ever find yourself in Tuscany, feel free to reach out — we’d be delighted to connect and perhaps show you some of the treasures our region has to offer.