Andradite Garnet (var: Topazolite)

Item Description

Topazolite Garnets are well-known from San Benito County, but one rarely finds such a rich plate of crystals like this. As a matter of fact, not only is the piece loaded with crystals, but it's actually crystallized on both sides, so there are literally hundreds of these little Garnets all over. This variety of Andradite is known for its beautiful golden color (the material was originally named after Topaz for the color) and this piece is almost the perfect range of color for Topazolite in my mind. Looking closely you can see the full coverage of well-formed, very sharp, lustrous, gemmy / translucent dodecahedra measuring up to 5-6 mm which vary from a light honey gold to a rich brownish tone. Nearly every crystal is damage free and they look wonderful with some magnification. A must have for any fan of Garnets, California minerals or specifically San Benito County. There was no specific mine given with the piece, so I don't know specifically if it's from the Yellow Cat or another lesser known locale. Valued in the inventory at $1,000.