DEMANTOID

A valuable gem form of Andradite is the rare Demantoid Garnet, which is a transparent green variety that is highly lustrous. The name comes from the French, ‘demant,’ meaning diamond, the reason is its high brilliance and dispersion.  They are known for their golden, ‘horsetail’ inclusions.

 Though bright and attractive, Demantoid was available mostly only in small sizes.  A fine quality Demantide Garnet may have a color very close to the deep Emerald green.  Also, Demantide Garnets could be found in light and dark shades of colors of greenish yellow, yellowish green and brown.

Demantoid garnet, which was discovered in Russia's Ural Mountains in 1868 lasted only about 30 years and was completed by the turn of the last century. Today the only source for top quality stones is antique jewelry.

In Mali, Africa, a unique yellow-green to yellow brown garnet was discovered in 1994.  Occasionally specimens from this site are colored a deep green dematiod color. An iridescent Andradite garnet, showing a rainbow play of colors was mined from Mexico in the 1990s, and a similar iridescent Andradite material found  in Nevada.