Spessartine with Smoky Quartz on Microcline

Item Description

When it comes to display quality specimens of Spessartine Garnet, the Wushan Mine in China is famous for producing world-class examples. The crystals are not only fine quality, but they are found on matrix with wonderful associations, creating beautiful specimens. These are some of the most attractive and highly displayable pieces to come out in China in the last 20+ years. They are truly iconic and genuinely some of the most beautiful matrix Garnets from anywhere. This is a fine quality small cabinet specimen featuring a coverage of very sharp, gemmy, highly lustrous, rich orange colored crystals of Spessartine Garnet measuring up to about 3 mm with a few prismatic, translucent Smoky Quartz crystals measuring up to 3.3 cm long, sitting on cream colored Microcline matrix. The Garnets show excellent trapezohedral faces up close with tiny dodecahedral modifications in spots. The piece is in very good condition with no major damage that I can find. I love the fact that the Garnets are sharp and smooth - no pitting or dull faces anywhere. Garnet is a well known mineral, but you have to keep in mind that it's quite rare to find brilliant orange Spessartines from any locality in the world, let alone such fine quality crystals on matrix like this.