Garnet Gemstones Buying Guide

The 2nd ANNIVERSARY STONE

Refractive Index : 1.762-1.770 (+.009,-.005)

Specific Gravity : 4.00 (+.10,-.05)

Color Change Garnet is very scarce, with very few stones in the worldwide market. These Garnets are a rare mixture of Pyrope and Spessartite, but also have Chromium and Vanadium, which gives it the color change. They have a wide variability in color behavior. The lesser quality stones can vary in shades of drab brownish colors, whereas the top gem quality stones can be vivid purples and vivid blue-greens in daylight or fluorescent lighting to purplish-Reds and Blood Reds in candle light or incandescent lighting, in the top quality stones, blue hues are very rare. Top Gem Color Change Garnet can be easily confused with top quality Alexandrite, the color shift can be that dramatic. Typically Color Change Garnet stones are faceted and range in sizes between 1 to 10 carats. Some of the identifying characteristics are rutile, pyrite, and apatite crystals visible in the stone. Color Change Garnets are found in Sri Lanka, Africa, and Brazil. Expect the extraordinary stones to continue to increase in value, since they a very highly valued Collectors Gemstone.

CARE - It is usually safe to clean Garnet jewelry in an UltraSonic Cleaner, but never use a steamer. We recommend Ionic Cleaners and/or warm, soapy water and a soft brush as the best way to clean your Color Change Garnet jewelry.

Pyrope Garnets are the most common on the market.  They are typically Red with a brownish tint, or Brick Red in color.  Pyrope is sometimes called "Cape Ruby" and sometimes confused with Almondine and Spinel.  Pyrope Garnets are tough wearing stones, so an excellent choice for jewelry.

Rhodolite is the name used to describe the lovely pinkish, purplish or lavender Red Garnets which are a mixture of Almandite and Pyrope. This name was first used in the late 1800's to describe the new rhododendron shade of Garnets discovered in North Carolina.
Rhodolite Garnets are not as dark as the common Pyrope Garnets.  Rhodolites are normally African in origin and are bright, transparent Gems.  Rhodolites are usually Red stones, purplish Red and the popular Raspberry Rhodolite, rich Purple with bright Lavender highlights.  Prices are based on the color, size and clarity of the stone.

Green Demantoid Garnet is one of the rarest Garnets. Discovered in Russia in 1868, the  supply was consumed in jewelry by 1896.  Production now is limited to a few stones a year. Utilized in Art Nouveau jewelry during the turn of the century.  Demantoid is important to Gem aficionados for four reasons: its great rarity, its color, its high dispersion and its distinctive inclusion.  Dispersion, or the breaking of White light into spectral colors, is measured at 0.044 for Diamond and 0.057 for Demantoid.  Demantoid's name means "diamond" in German, an indication of its beautiful luster.  Demantoid deposits of lesser material exist in San Bonito County, California, the Piedmont area of Italy, Iran, Nambia, Korea, the Congo and the Stanley Butts area of Arizona, but because the original locality for demantoid was in Russia’s Ural Mountains, the Russian material remains the standard by which the gem is judged.  While the color of demantoid never equals that of the finest emerald, an emerald-green is the ideal.  The color should be as intense as possible, without being overly dark.  Many stones are in the yellowish-Green range with lesser qualities being brownish Green of grayish Green.  The color of demantoid is believed to be due to chromium.  It should be noted that the fire in a demantoid is best seen in the lighter, less saturated gems. Thus color preference is a matter of individual taste.  Some people will choose an intense body color and less fire, while others prefer a lighter body color and more fire.  Demantoid garnet generally looks best under daylight.  Incandescent light makes it appear slightly more yellowish-green.  Because of its high dispersion, demantoid looks great in the same type of lighting as diamond, i.e., multi-point (as opposed to diffuse) lighting.  Demantoid is relatively clean, thus when buying one you should look for an eye-clean or near-eye-clean stone.  Demantoids exhibit a unique Byssolite inclusion called a "horse tail."  This inclusion is formed by Asbestos, needle-like fibers which radiate from a central crystal, usually Chrysolite, in a curving style similar to a horse's tail.  Gem cutters often fashion a Demantoid to better show the inclusion since this is a definite characteristic of a Demantoid.  Generally you will only find  round brilliant, oval, or cushion cuts.  Typically crystals are small and not plentiful, generally under 1 Carat.  Demantoid is rare in faceted stones above 2 carats.  Fine demantoids above 5 carats can be considered world-class pieces.  Some demantoid garnet is heat-treated to improve the color, and the resulting stones are stable under normal wearing conditions.  Demantoid is among the most expensive of all garnets, but like all gem materials, low-quality (i.e., non-gem quality) pieces may be available for a few dollars per carat.  Prices for demantoid vary greatly according to size and quality, but gem quality stones with no enhancement may reach as much as $10,000 per carat.  Demantoid Garnet is a valued Collectors Gemstone.

The Grossular Garnet species incorporates many colors: Colorless, Yellow, Green, Orange, Brown, Pink and Black. Of course there are many variations and shades of these colors.  Pure Grossular is Colorless.  Grossular Garnets can have a particular inclusion which is an identifying characteristic. A treacle or swirly appearance created by tiny included crystals, generally Diopside crystals, is common to Grossular Garnets.
Sources for Grossular Garnet are Sri Lanka, Canada, U.S., Mexico, Africa, Australia and Brazil. Grossular Garnet is a valued Collectors Gemstone.

Part of the Grossular Garnet species.  Hessonite Garnets are available in Yellow, Orange and Red/Orange. The Red/Orange Hessonite is often referred to as "Cinnamon" stone because it matches the color of oil of cinnamon produced in Ceylon.  Our source for Hessonite Garnet is Sri Lanka (formerly Ceylon), known for producing the finest variety of Garnet.  Other sources are Canada, Mexico, U.S., Brazil and Africa.  Hessonite Garnet is a valued Collectors Gemstone.

Tsavorite is the intense Green Grossular Garnet named after the Tsavo National Park in Kenya.  Tsavorite was first discovered in 1967 and was named by Henry B. Platt, vice-president of Tiffany & Co., after the site of that find.
Tsavorite is often compared to other Green Gemstones, and it is easily a match for the better known Emerald. Actually Tsavorite is superior to the Emerald in many ways, and it is a rarer stone. Tsavorite is a tougher, more durable stone with a higher luster, resulting in a higher polish.  It also has a higher refractive index, 1.74 for Tsavorite compared to 1.57 for Emerald, so Tsavorite is the brighter stone for setting with Diamonds since the Tsavorite will display more sparkle and fire.
Shades vary from pure Green to yellowish Green.  Like Emerald, most Tsavorites will have some visible inclusions.  Most Tsavorite production is under 1 Carat.  A 2 Carat Tsavorite is considered large! Tsavorite a is a valued Collectors Gemstone due to its rarity and its beauty.

Spessartite Garnets are not commonly found on the market.  Their vivid Orange color, sometimes with a Orange-Red to Orange-Pink color, is the most desired.  This Gem is especially Rare in clean faceted stones larger than 3 carats, and Gems over 10 carats are extremely Rare. The labor involved is arduous because the crystals are buried in pockets in pegmatites, once molten lava, and the miner slowly moves from pocket to pocket to retrieve the crystals.  Spessartite has good transparency, considerable luster, and normally found in Mixed or Oval cuts.  This Gem received its name from the area in Spessart, Germany, where it was originally found in the 1800's.  Since all Garnets are tough wearing stones, Spessartite is an excellent choice for jewelry.  Spessartite a is a valued Collectors Gemstone due to its rarity and its beauty.

Malaia Garnet (also called Malaya Garnet) is in the Garnet family from the Umba Valley in Tanzania, Africa. This Garnet has an unusual history. In the late 1970's, East African miners included this Orange and reddish Orange stone in parcels of Rhodolite Garnet being offered to Japanese dealers. The "off" colors, summarily rejected for their obviously different color, were contemptuously called Malaya by the miners. This Swahili word means outcast or prostitute. German and American dealers saw the beauty of this "outcast" Gem and began marketing Malaya Garnet in 1979. These Garnets are a rare mixture of Pyrope and Spessartite. They generally range in color from a slightly pinkish-orange or reddish-orange or yellowish-orange, and tones from light to dark. These extraordinary stones are expected to increase in value. Top color Malaya Garnets are pure orange or reddish-orange, sometimes with a touch of peach. These vibrant stones are beautiful especially when mounted in Jewelry.  Malaia Garnets are very limited on the market.

This "Sunkist" Orange Garnet is a newcomer to the Gem Markets.  Discovered in 1992 in Namibia near the north border with Angola, Mandarin Garnet is mined in wasteland conditions. Temperatures have been known to reach 140°F in a desert area populated by Angolan soldiers who have fled their homeland. Mandarin Garnet is part of the Spessartite Garnet species and has a hardness of 6 to 6-1/2.  Its uniform, vivid color of pure Orange sets it apart from other Orange stones.  Garnets take a good polish, so this is a beautiful Gem for mounting.  Potential for this Gem is good because jewelry demand will grow due to its vivid color and brightness.