Smoky Quartz with Spessartine

Unknown Owner

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Among the most rare and desirable of USA Gem species are the bright orange Spessartine Garnets from the Little Three Mine in San Diego County. This piece probably dates back to production by Louis Spaulding Jr. in the 1970s and 1980s when some of the best Spessartines were mined. This is an extraordinary and unusual piece for the association and its visual composition. It is a very bright, nearly 1 cm, gemmy, tangerine orange Spessartine garnet with a 5 mm, subhedral companion perched right near the top of a lustrous, wide and stout Smoky Quartz crystal for ultimate composition and contrast. The prism faces of the translucent Smoky Quartz display geometric, horizontal stepped growth patterns that transition to a pyramidal termination that has a whitish gray cast on the exterior with a light satin luster. It is very unusual to have Spessartine associated with Smoky Quartz at this locality. Spessartines of this quality are very scarce on the market - and even in the major collections in San Diego where they are considered one of the top collectibles from the area. The Quartz is contacted on the back and there is a ding on the crystal near the tip by the Garnet. Ex. Bob Reynolds collection with label (and he got it from noted local collector Bryant Harris, who dug there with Spaulding so we assume this was collected by Harris. A highly unusual combination display specimen!