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2.9" Deep-Red, Gemmy Hessonite Garnets with Clinochlore - Italy
This is a 2.9" wide cluster of gemmy, deep-red hessonite garnets that formed in association with clinochlore crystal aggregates, collected from Faiallo Pass in Liguria, Italy.
It comes with an acrylic display stand.
It comes with an acrylic display stand.
About Hessonite Garnets
Hessonite garnet—often called the “cinnamon stone” for its warm orange-brown to honey-amber hues—is a gem-quality variety of grossular garnet prized for its rich color and distinctive internal texture. Typically found in metamorphosed limestones and skarn deposits, hessonite forms under high-temperature conditions that give it its characteristic silky, “treacly” translucence. Unlike the glassy clarity of some other garnets, hessonite often shows subtle internal swirls or a slightly granular appearance, a diagnostic feature long noted by gemologists. Major sources include Sri Lanka, India, Canada, and Tanzania, where well-formed crystals and gemmy nodules occur.
What sets hessonite garnet apart from other garnet varieties is its unmistakable combination of color and texture. Its signature “cinnamon” to honey-orange tones—caused by trace iron and manganese—are instantly recognizable, but its internal structure is even more distinctive. Under magnification, hessonite displays a ropy, syrup-like internal pattern known as turbulence, created by microscopic inclusions and subtle structural irregularities. This produces a glowing, almost liquid translucence that no other garnet exhibits, making hessonite one of the most easily identifiable and visually unique members of the garnet family.
Hessonite garnet—often called the “cinnamon stone” for its warm orange-brown to honey-amber hues—is a gem-quality variety of grossular garnet prized for its rich color and distinctive internal texture. Typically found in metamorphosed limestones and skarn deposits, hessonite forms under high-temperature conditions that give it its characteristic silky, “treacly” translucence. Unlike the glassy clarity of some other garnets, hessonite often shows subtle internal swirls or a slightly granular appearance, a diagnostic feature long noted by gemologists. Major sources include Sri Lanka, India, Canada, and Tanzania, where well-formed crystals and gemmy nodules occur.
What sets hessonite garnet apart from other garnet varieties is its unmistakable combination of color and texture. Its signature “cinnamon” to honey-orange tones—caused by trace iron and manganese—are instantly recognizable, but its internal structure is even more distinctive. Under magnification, hessonite displays a ropy, syrup-like internal pattern known as turbulence, created by microscopic inclusions and subtle structural irregularities. This produces a glowing, almost liquid translucence that no other garnet exhibits, making hessonite one of the most easily identifiable and visually unique members of the garnet family.
SPECIES
Grossular var. Hessonite & Clinochlore
LOCATION
Faiallo Pass, Urbe, Savona Province, Liguria, Italy
SIZE
2.9 x 2.25"
CATEGORY
SUB CATEGORY
ITEM
#248570
