Grossular Garnet var. Hessonite with Diopside and Clinochlore

A really excellent and fine specimen of well-crystallised Grossular Garnet, abundantly covering large areas of Clinochlore with occasional, well-developed Diopside crystals. This small cabinet (possibly large miniature) specimen is from the classic Italian location of the Ala Valley; the type locality for Diopside. The Garnet is the gemmy orange variety of Grossular, named Hessonite, with crystals measuring to 5 mm. These are a rich, slightly burnt toffee-orange and are gemmy to translucent with a bright glassy lustre. These pleasingly contrast against a druse of inter-grown grey-green vermiform Clinochlore forming chains and books of hexagonal linked platelets. Scattered amongst this are occasional prismatic crystals of pastel green Diopside. This is a beautiful Hessonite and Diopside on Clinochlore from the Ala Valley; a specimen when I first looked closely at made me exclaim at its striking appearance. The specimen is accompanied with two previous labels.