Aesthetics
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My focus is on the aesthetics of any specimen. Shape, grouping, color, contrast, matrix, ... there are so many aspects to it that it can hardly be covered in a simple statement. I particularly love expressive forms like fans, sprays, flowers and trees. After all, beauty lies in the eye of the beholder.
Provenance
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An ugly specimen does not become attractive to me because of its provenance, even though that might be significant. However, provenance can be the "cherry on the cake" making a nice specimen even more desirable.
Size
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Size doesn't matter? Well, to some extent it does. I have no particulare size constraints like 'thumbnail‘, 'toenail‘ or the like, but I tend to look for 'palm size‘ specimens, something between 'small cabinet‘ and 'cabinet‘ size. However, I have got a few bigger (like ‘large cabinet’) and some smaller ones (like ‘miniature’) and they improve the dynamics of the overall display.
Variety
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There are more than 4000 minerals listed with the IMA. Only a small number of them are likely to produce specimens that potentially attract me. If there is a new specimen falling into this category I like to broaden the width of my collection without sacrificing on any of the other aspects of my collecting style.
Value
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I am no cool-headed investor in minerals, I love and collect them for their mere beauty. Although beautiful things occasionally can become quite expensive, I still rate the joy of admiring a beautiful specimen in my hands over its potential future gain in market-value.
Colors
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Admittedly, I rate most colorful minerals over any black ones or even gold. I am a rainbow-addict and hence Beryls, Fluorites and of course Tourmalines are among my favourites. In spite of having said that, I still have some "black beauties" in my collection that I would not want to miss either.