Andradite Garnet (var: Demantoid) (ex Shields Flynn Collection)

Item Description

Demantoids are some of the most sought after and valuable Garnets out there. The combination of the beautiful color along with the high dispersion and refractive index of the material makes it incredibly eye-catching. Typically Demantoid crystals aren't much larger than about 1 cm, but the crystal on this specimen measures a whopping 2.3 cm (nearly a full inch across)! It sits smartly atop the host rock matrix and glows with an alluring yellowish-green hue when backlit. The front of the crystal has a bit of embedded Calcite, but it actually formed in a semi-"halo"-shape, which is surrounding a few smaller secondary Demantoid crystals the center. The main Demantoid is trapezohedral in habit, though it's a bit compressed / distorted. The only damage is a ding on the top / back portion, so it's not perfect, but it's such a large and impressive example of this hard to find material (specifically from the Green Dragon Mine) that it's a must have for any fan of gem crystals, Garnets or minerals of Namibia. If the Demantoid crystal were completely undamaged, I could see this piece retailing for around $4,000-$5,000, but it's obviously less due to the ding. From the Collection of Shields Flynn.