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GARNET - NEW FINDS FROM MADAGASCAR:
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This little beauty features 4 discrete, glassy and gemmy, green, demantoid crystals,aesthetically emplaced on a massive garnet matrix. When crystals are isolated from each other, like this, the maximum beauty of each is enhanced to my eye. These are TOTAL GEMS!!! They are transparent, not just gemmy, and have gorgeous demantoid green color. Trimmed a little bit, this would also be a killer thumbnail specimen.
Two, discrete, glassy and gemmy, olive-green crystals of demantoid, to 1 cm , are exquisitely perched on a matrix of metasomatized garnet. The small crystals you see, I believe are little andradites in association. Elegant and fine representative example!
Emplaced on matrix are clusters of glassy and gemmy, cognac-colored crystals of andradite var. topazolite, to 1 cm across. They are beautifully lustrous and glassy, and arranged like flowers in the middle of the metamorphosed limestone matrix, now transformed into massive white garnet.
This elegant cluster of glassy and gemmy, richly green demantoid garnets is unusual in its great presentation of the crystals, and in the fact that the white material highlighting and separating them is STILBITE. This is a very rare occurrance at this locality (and to my knowledge unique, in fact). I have only 3 specimens in this lot with stilbite crystals, of which this is one. The crystals are all perched on metasomatized (metamorphosed from limestone) garnet matrix. The largest garnet measures 1.5 cm in length. And, the crystals are GEMMY AND TRANSPARENT like jewels, of really top quality. Then, after the garnets were formed, came the secondary growth of white finely-crystallized stilbite, wreathing the garnets so nicely. This is not a large specimen but its aesthetics make it compelling and gram for gram, one of the finest in the lot here!
A superior example by any standard of the topazolite variety of garnet: Highlighted by a large, robust 2 cm crystal, these glassy and gemmy, cognac-colored andradite var. topazolite crystals sit on a matrix of metsomatized (metamorphosed from limestone) garnet. An elegant and superb specimen with a dominating main crystal atop, this is an important example of the species.
A cluster of glassy and gemmy topazolite crystals, to 1.2 cm in length, has nearly covered the metasomatized garnet matrix. These are bright and lustrous, and very gemmy! You can see the matrix through the crystals. The color is brown-olive, as if it is in between topazolite and demantoid in hue
A thin plate of intergrown, glassy and gemmy, olive-green, demantoid crystals! The crystals, to 1.2 cm in length , are emplaced on a thin plate of (metamorphosed) metasomatized garnet matrix. Striking specimen for the sparkle and richness of the crystallization. All of these crystals are SO gemmy, and transparent, that you can look right through them to the matrix beneath. Superb, bright specimen, and a lot of demantoid for the price, I felt
A single glassy and gemmy, light green crystal of demantoid, measuring 1.3 cm across, is aesthetically perched on a natural pedestal: the matrix is made up of limestone metasomatized (metamorphosed to) microscopic garnet so this is technically garnet on garnet! The garnet is complete all around save only a small contact on back. A fine thumbnail of high quality for its good color, and excellent translucency.
Discrete crystals of glassy and gemmy, rich green demantoid crystals, to 1.2 cm in length, are nicely perched on a metasomatized, garnet matrix. This piece has garnets that are unlikely survivals on the matrix…they are so 3-dimensional and upright, its hard to believe they didn't just pop off in collecting. But there they are, some of the sharpest, most 3-D and isolated, of this lot. The lustre is liek glass, really high for this species.
This is an imposing, large specimen of demantoid garnet on matrix. It SPARKLES with color and brilliant facets from hundreds of faces of the gemmy crystals upon it. Few specimens like this have ever come from any of the other demantoid lcoales, in the size and quality range. Nearly covering the surface of this piece are glassy and gemmy green crystals to 8 mm. The matrix is garnet, actually, in a strange twist of geology transformed ( metasomatized) from the original limestone and then serving as host for a later garnet despoition. From this particular deposit, given the difficulty of access, it is VERY uncommon to get good large pieces of any quality. Like others in my lot, I was very careful to purchase pieces without damage and dings (and MOST of the specimens produced had some problems in that regard, as they were hacked out of holes 20-50 meters deep with hand tools, by amateur collectors in a hurry!). That being said, this is a very rare larger piece , with no damage to the display face, despite its broad exposure. One imagines that it was in a lucky large pocket, a rarity at this location where small and tight veins seem the rule.
This amazing LARGE crystal of andradite var. topazolite, is larger than any such I have seen from other locales. It is glassy and gemmy with a lovely cognac coloring. It is VERY transparent, too, especially at the edges. In several places the crystal seems to exhibit hopper growth, very rare in the garnet family. On the bottom, it is contacted, but complete. A significant thumbnail crystal for the species and the find
A cluster of glassy and gemmy, brilliant green, demantoid crystals has grown on and with an ivory colored matrix of stilbite crystals, to 5 mm in length. The largest demantoid is 1 cm in length. This is an unbelievable melding of stilbite and demantoid in associatio - you don't see that from anywhere else I am aware of (nor is Dr. Pezzotta) and it seems another element of the geological puzzle that produced this locality. Most stilbite is micro, and very few specimens of any quality host both good demantoid and stilbite together. This is a superb, showy miniature, one of only 3 such association pieces I obtained. Even without the stilbite, though, the garnet is of very high quality, color intensity, and crystal size for the find. Although small overall, this is hands down one of my favorites in the lot.
Aesthetically nestled in a vug of metamorphosed (metasomatized) garnet matrix is a cluster of well formed, glassy and gemmy, olive-green and cognac-colored, andradite var. topazolite crystals. The color is really complex, and a mixture of green and brownish hues. The lustre is through the roof, really bright and glassy! The largest crystal measures 1.5 cm in length. The crystals are so gemmy you can look through them to the matrix underneath. This is a small miniature, in person, but a very bright one with high impact. It is hard to convey the quality of the bright lustre in photos.
Two sharp, glassy and gemmy, olive-green demantoid crystals , to 1.2 cm in length, are perched on a garnet matrix. Both crystals exhibit unusual and evident hoppered growth, which is rare in the garnet family. Riveting for the symmetry and sharp forms, this is a fine small miniature or, trimmed at bottom, a killer thumbnail specimen
This is a cluster of glassy and gemmy, richly green, demantoid crystals reaching 1.1 cm in length. The cluster is rich and bright, and the crystals cascade nicely across the matrix. The display crystals are pristine and show all faces save only for the large crystal on the right , which exhibits the contact outline of a previously attached crystal. The white matrix was actually limestone which has been, amazingly, metamorphosed ( metasomatized) into garnet in ancient geological time. Incredible origins for a matrix garnet specimen, and yet another reason to value this new deposit so highly.
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Rob Lavinsky, rob@irocks.com
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share specimen![Andradite var. Demantoid garnet from Antetezambato, Ambanja District, Diana Region, Antsiranana Province, Madagascar [db_pics/new2010/dem19a.jpg]](db_pics/new2010/dem19a.jpg)
![Andradite var. Demantoid garnet from Antetezambato, Ambanja District, Diana Region, Antsiranana Province, Madagascar [db_pics/new2010/dem19b.jpg]](db_pics/new2010/dem19b.jpg)
![Andradite var. Demantoid garnet from Antetezambato, Ambanja District, Diana Region, Antsiranana Province, Madagascar [db_pics/new2010/dem19c.jpg]](db_pics/new2010/dem19c.jpg)
![Andradite var. Demantoid garnet with andradite from Antetezambato, Ambanja District, Diana Region, Antsiranana Province, Madagascar [db_pics/new2010/dem17a.jpg]](db_pics/new2010/dem17a.jpg)
![Andradite var. Demantoid garnet with andradite from Antetezambato, Ambanja District, Diana Region, Antsiranana Province, Madagascar [db_pics/new2010/dem17b.jpg]](db_pics/new2010/dem17b.jpg)
![Andradite var. Topazolite garnet from Antetezambato, Ambanja District, Diana Region, Antsiranana Province, Madagascar [db_pics/new2010/dem15a.jpg]](db_pics/new2010/dem15a.jpg)
![Andradite var. Topazolite garnet from Antetezambato, Ambanja District, Diana Region, Antsiranana Province, Madagascar [db_pics/new2010/dem15b.jpg]](db_pics/new2010/dem15b.jpg)
![Andradite var. Demantoid garnet with Stilbite from Antetezambato, Ambanja District, Diana Region, Antsiranana Province, Madagascar [db_pics/new2010/dem14a.jpg]](db_pics/new2010/dem14a.jpg)
![Andradite var. Demantoid garnet with Stilbite from Antetezambato, Ambanja District, Diana Region, Antsiranana Province, Madagascar [db_pics/new2010/dem14b.jpg]](db_pics/new2010/dem14b.jpg)
![Andradite var. Topazolite garnet from Antetezambato, Ambanja District, Diana Region, Antsiranana Province, Madagascar [db_pics/new2010/dem13a.jpg]](db_pics/new2010/dem13a.jpg)
![Andradite var. Topazolite garnet from Antetezambato, Ambanja District, Diana Region, Antsiranana Province, Madagascar [db_pics/new2010/dem13b.jpg]](db_pics/new2010/dem13b.jpg)
![Andradite var. Topazolite garnet from Antetezambato, Ambanja District, Diana Region, Antsiranana Province, Madagascar [db_pics/new2010/dem13c.jpg]](db_pics/new2010/dem13c.jpg)
![Andradite var. Topazolite garnet from Antetezambato, Ambanja District, Diana Region, Antsiranana Province, Madagascar [db_pics/new2010/dem11a.jpg]](db_pics/new2010/dem11a.jpg)
![Andradite var. Topazolite garnet from Antetezambato, Ambanja District, Diana Region, Antsiranana Province, Madagascar [db_pics/new2010/dem11c.jpg]](db_pics/new2010/dem11c.jpg)
![Andradite var. Demantoid garnet from Antetezambato, Ambanja District, Diana Region, Antsiranana Province, Madagascar [db_pics/new2010/dem10a.jpg]](db_pics/new2010/dem10a.jpg)
![Andradite var. Demantoid garnet from Antetezambato, Ambanja District, Diana Region, Antsiranana Province, Madagascar [db_pics/new2010/dem10b.jpg]](db_pics/new2010/dem10b.jpg)
![Andradite var. Demantoid garnet from Antetezambato, Ambanja District, Diana Region, Antsiranana Province, Madagascar [db_pics/new2010/dem10c.jpg]](db_pics/new2010/dem10c.jpg)
![Andradite var. Demantoid garnet from Antetezambato, Ambanja District, Diana Region, Antsiranana Province, Madagascar [db_pics/new2010/dem09Ba.jpg]](db_pics/new2010/dem09Ba.jpg)
![Andradite var. Demantoid garnet from Antetezambato, Ambanja District, Diana Region, Antsiranana Province, Madagascar [db_pics/new2010/dem09Bb.jpg]](db_pics/new2010/dem09Bb.jpg)
![Andradite var. Demantoid garnet from Antetezambato, Ambanja District, Diana Region, Antsiranana Province, Madagascar [db_pics/new2010/dem09Ab.jpg]](db_pics/new2010/dem09Ab.jpg)
![Andradite var. Demantoid garnet from Antetezambato, Ambanja District, Diana Region, Antsiranana Province, Madagascar [db_pics/new2010/dem09Ac.jpg]](db_pics/new2010/dem09Ac.jpg)
![Andradite var. Demantoid garnet from Antetezambato, Ambanja District, Diana Region, Antsiranana Province, Madagascar [db_pics/new2010/dem09Ad.jpg]](db_pics/new2010/dem09Ad.jpg)
![Andradite var. Demantoid garnet from Antetezambato, Ambanja District, Diana Region, Antsiranana Province, Madagascar [db_pics/new2010/dem09Ae.jpg]](db_pics/new2010/dem09Ae.jpg)
![Andradite var. Demantoid garnet from Antetezambato, Ambanja District, Diana Region, Antsiranana Province, Madagascar [db_pics/new2010/dem09Af.jpg]](db_pics/new2010/dem09Af.jpg)
![Andradite var. Demantoid garnet from Antetezambato, Ambanja District, Diana Region, Antsiranana Province, Madagascar [db_pics/new2010/dem08a.jpg]](db_pics/new2010/dem08a.jpg)
![Andradite var. Demantoid garnet from Antetezambato, Ambanja District, Diana Region, Antsiranana Province, Madagascar [db_pics/new2010/dem08b.jpg]](db_pics/new2010/dem08b.jpg)
![Andradite var. Demantoid garnet from Antetezambato, Ambanja District, Diana Region, Antsiranana Province, Madagascar [db_pics/new2010/dem08c.jpg]](db_pics/new2010/dem08c.jpg)
![Andradite var. Demantoid garnet from Antetezambato, Ambanja District, Diana Region, Antsiranana Province, Madagascar [db_pics/new2010/dem08d.jpg]](db_pics/new2010/dem08d.jpg)
![Andradite var. Topazolite garnet from Antetezambato, Ambanja District, Diana Region, Antsiranana Province, Madagascar [db_pics/new2010/dem06a.jpg]](db_pics/new2010/dem06a.jpg)
![Andradite var. Topazolite garnet from Antetezambato, Ambanja District, Diana Region, Antsiranana Province, Madagascar [db_pics/new2010/dem06b.jpg]](db_pics/new2010/dem06b.jpg)
![Andradite var. Topazolite garnet from Antetezambato, Ambanja District, Diana Region, Antsiranana Province, Madagascar [db_pics/new2010/dem06c.jpg]](db_pics/new2010/dem06c.jpg)
![Andradite var. Demantoid garnet with Stilbite from Antetezambato, Ambanja District, Diana Region, Antsiranana Province, Madagascar [db_pics/new2010/dem05a.jpg]](db_pics/new2010/dem05a.jpg)
![Andradite var. Demantoid garnet with Stilbite from Antetezambato, Ambanja District, Diana Region, Antsiranana Province, Madagascar [db_pics/new2010/dem05b.jpg]](db_pics/new2010/dem05b.jpg)
![Andradite var. Topazolite garnet from Antetezambato, Ambanja District, Diana Region, Antsiranana Province, Madagascar [db_pics/new2010/dem04a.jpg]](db_pics/new2010/dem04a.jpg)
![Andradite var. Topazolite garnet from Antetezambato, Ambanja District, Diana Region, Antsiranana Province, Madagascar [db_pics/new2010/dem04b.jpg]](db_pics/new2010/dem04b.jpg)
![Andradite var. Topazolite garnet from Antetezambato, Ambanja District, Diana Region, Antsiranana Province, Madagascar [db_pics/new2010/dem04c.jpg]](db_pics/new2010/dem04c.jpg)
![Andradite var. Topazolite garnet from Antetezambato, Ambanja District, Diana Region, Antsiranana Province, Madagascar [db_pics/new2010/dem04d.jpg]](db_pics/new2010/dem04d.jpg)
![Andradite var. Demantoid garnet from Antetezambato, Ambanja District, Diana Region, Antsiranana Province, Madagascar [db_pics/new2010/dem03a.jpg]](db_pics/new2010/dem03a.jpg)
![Andradite var. Demantoid garnet from Antetezambato, Ambanja District, Diana Region, Antsiranana Province, Madagascar [db_pics/new2010/dem03b.jpg]](db_pics/new2010/dem03b.jpg)
![Andradite var. Demantoid garnet from Antetezambato, Ambanja District, Diana Region, Antsiranana Province, Madagascar [db_pics/new2010/dem03c.jpg]](db_pics/new2010/dem03c.jpg)
![Andradite var. Demantoid garnet from Antetezambato, Ambanja District, Diana Region, Antsiranana Province, Madagascar [db_pics/new2010/dem02a.jpg]](db_pics/new2010/dem02a.jpg)
![Andradite var. Demantoid garnet from Antetezambato, Ambanja District, Diana Region, Antsiranana Province, Madagascar [db_pics/new2010/dem02b.jpg]](db_pics/new2010/dem02b.jpg)
![Andradite var. Demantoid garnet from Antetezambato, Ambanja District, Diana Region, Antsiranana Province, Madagascar [db_pics/new2010/dem02c.jpg]](db_pics/new2010/dem02c.jpg)