Perhaps no gem material in modern times carries the mystique of the demantoid garnet. Found in commercial quantities only in Russia's Ural Mountains, demantoids were esteemed by scientists and royals alike when first discovered in the mid-19th century. When Czarist Russia gave way to Communist Russia, however, demantoids—like other gems—fell out of favor. With virtually no mining for three-quarters of a century, few of these bright green garnets entered the marketplace except as part of historical pieces of jewelry like the fanciful Edwardian "dragonfly" shown here. Today, some efforts are being made to revive the historical localities and explore for new ones. The second article in this issue looks at the history of demantoid mining in Russia and reports on the current situation at the two main demantoid districts, north and south of Ekaterinburg. The dragonfly pin, platinum over gold with diamonds and rubies, contains 17 demantoids; the largest are 5.2 mm and 4.7 mm in diameter. The loose demantoid weighs 8.95 ct. The pin and stone are courtesy of Michael M. Scott, Sunnyvale, California. Photo © Harold & Erica Van Pelt—Photographers, Los Angeles, CA.