Andradite Garnet (var: Demantoid)

Item Description

Demantoid Garnet is one of the most sought after varieties of any Garnet species out there. The specimens from the Ghazni Province of Afghanistan are some of the most attractive Demantoids outside of Europe/Russia in the world in my mind. This toenail sized specimen hosts a sharp, lustrous, translucent, beautiful rich green colored, slightly modified dodecahedral crystal of Andradite (var "Demantoid") measuring 8 mm sitting neatly on matrix. The crystal is very good sized for the locality, as most of them are 5 mm or less. PLEASE NOTE that these crystals show a color change from a "mint green" color to a very rich "lime green" hue in different lighting. Under halogen lights, the crystals appear more pastel, but under mercury bulbs, the color is very intense! A very attractive example of these now hard to find specimens. I'm told the locality where these pieces are found is not producing anything these days.