Garnets comprise a family of minerals with a variety of chemical compositions that result in a wide array of natural colors. Shown above is a hessonite garnet of an unusual light golden peach color; a color much like that of the finest imperial topaz from Brazil. An old asbestos mine in Quebec, Canada, has long produced beautiful clusters of golden-colored hessonite garnet crystals (on a very limited scale). These clusters make outstanding mineral specimens. Although most hessonite garnet from this locale is heavily included, rare pieces are sufficiently clean to be faceted into attractive gemstones. The Apollo A cut, a design by Paul C. Smith, is simple, yet it results in gemstones with good light return, scintillation, and an interesting flash pattern. The craftsmanship of this stone is fine. This gem, perhaps the largest high-quality stone you will find cut from Quebec hessonite, is a very special item. Something a Canadian, or any gemstone collector, would greatly appreciate. This stone would look beautiful when mounted in a pendant, pin, or ring.

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