Grossular Garnet, Hessonite Variety - Clinochlor

This thumbnail is perfect: a gem-quality hessonite crystal, a deep reddish-orange, clearly defined against satiny gray-green clinochlore rosettes. The color contrast is immediate, the garnet standing out beautifully. This remarkable piece was acquired successively by several collectors specializing in garnets (original labels included). Lajetto (Alpe delle Frasse), near Condove, is one of the classic alpine rodingite sites of the Val di Susa, known for its associations of hessonite garnets with clinochlore, diopside, and vesuvianite.