Garnet is a gemstone known for its stunning variety of colours, ranging from deep reds to brilliant greens. Each type of garnet offers unique hues, often with remarkable clarity and brilliance.
The name Garnet is derived from the Latin word “granatus,” meaning “seed-like,” due to the gemstone’s resemblance to pomegranate seeds.
Garnet’s rich spectrum of colors and versatility make it a highly desirable gemstone and a popular choice in jewelry. It is typically free from significant inclusions, enhancing its visual appeal and value.
Another appealing aspect of garnet is its durability. With a Mohs hardness rating of 6.5 to 7.5, garnet gemstones in jewelry are suitable for everyday wear.
The value of garnet is influenced by several factors, including color, clarity, cut, and carat weight. Among these, color is the most critical determinant, with the most valuable garnets display intense, vivid colors.
High-quality garnets are typically” eye-clean”, meaning they lack visible inclusions. However, some inclusions, like the horsetail inclusions in demantoid garnets, can enhance the stone’s value by creating a desirable visual effect.
Red Garnets
The deep, fiery red to almost purple colours are derived from the presence of the minerals pyrope and almandine (iron alumina).
Almandine occurs abundantly in the garnet-producing gravels of Sri Lanka. Sri Lankan garnets are often called “Ceylon Rubies”. Similarly, a significant quantity of almandine garnets were found in the Northern Territory of Australia where they were first taken for rubies. These stones were known for some time after as “Australian Rubies”!
The mineral pyrope is the only member of the garnet gemstone that displays as red. It is from this characteristic that pyrope gets its name, from the Greek words for fire and eye. Pyrope is hard to distinguish from almandine, however it is likely to display fewer flaws and inclusions.
India and Sri Lanka are today significant sources of almandine and pyrope garnets. The United States, particularly Arizona and Idaho, produces various types of garnets, including pyrope and spessartine.
Green Garnets
Green garnets are highly prized. In fact, the green tsavorite garnets are the highest -priced garnets on the market today. The lower, lighter colored grades are reasonably easy to come by up to one carat in size. However the fine, top color, clean Tsavorite garnets are harder to find, and stones over the two carats are increasingly rare.
Tanzania and Kenya are renowned for producing vibrant green tsavorite garnets. In fact, the name tsavorite was proposed by Tiffany and Co president Henry Platt in honour of Tsavo East National Park in Kenya.
Demantoid garnets are another version of the green garnet. They are relatively small, with finished stones usually under one carat. The more intense green colouration the more highly valued, although lighter stones featuring a yellowish-green display may present more “fire”.
Russia’s Ural Mountains are famous for their demantoid garnets.
