Detailed information
Species
Grossular, var. Hessonite, Diopside
Dimensions
43 x 70 x 40
mm
Weight
226 g
Locality
Ala Valley Lanzo Valleys, Torino Province Piedmont, Italy
Condition
No recorded repairs
An absolute European classic and fine size specimen too. Glossy orange-red Hessonite (Grossular) garnets with pale green prismatic Diopside crystals are seen in most late 18th to early 19th century European mineral collections and are instantly recognizable as from Ala Valley in northern Italy. Indeed, in the early days the Diopside from there was given the name "Alalite". On this fine small cabinet specimen the Hessonite crystals are small (to 4 mm in diameter), but well-formed, and form an extensive crust accompanied by several glassy terminated prismatic Diopside crystals (to 9.5 mm). A fine European classic, collected in 1972 and formerly in the Mineralogical Museum at Humboldt University.