Andradite (var: Demantoid) (rare locality stone)

Item Description

Demantoid Garnets are found in a few places in the world in top quality gems, most famously from Russia, but in recent years localities in Namibia and Madagascar have produced good quality stones as well. Some of the finest known CRYSTALS of Demantoid are those from the Italian Alps, but faceted gems are exceedingly rare in my experience. This is a wonderful "Marquise" cut stone with beautiful green color and nearly eye-clean clarity. The stone also features highly desirable and fine quality acicular crystals of "Byssolite", which are often referred to as "horsetail" inclusions. Some people only will buy Demantoids with these "horsetail" inclusions, as it's a sign of the authenticity of the material. If you collect Garnets, don't pass this one up, as you'd be hard-pressed to find another like it from Italy on the market.