3.8" Vivid Orange SPESSARTINE GARNETS with SMOKY QUARTZ Crystals China for sale

This is a highly aesthetic specimen of orange SPESSARTINE GARNETS on SMOKY QUARTZ from Yun Xiao in Fujian Province, China. I purchased this fine specimen at the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show from a Chinese wholesale dealer. In 2005, the supply of this type of material seemed endless, but as is often the case, the deposit was worked very hard and the amount of material reaching the market began to dwindle, and prices rose. Recently, good specimens of spessartine with smoky quartz have been priced so high as to be unrealistic for most buyers. This specimen came out of stock that we purchased when specimens were abundant, and we have not re-priced our inventory. Note: A few years ago, there was a small controversy brewing in the mineral world over whether these were spessartine garnets or grossular garnets (the difference being the amount of calcium in the crystal structure). Tests have now confirmed that they are indeed spessartine.