All About Garnet Gemstones

Garnet is the birthstone of January and deserves a month to itself because this group of gemstones is remarkable and massive. But why we are learning so much about Garnet? Because some varieties are now quickly becoming some of the rarest gemstones on earth. Garnet varieties also have extraordinary qualities, and the gemstones are available at affordable prices, in many sizes, numerous colours, and shapes.

While many of us are quick to think of Garnet as a red gemstone, some forms of Garnet are far from red, and nearly every hue is present within the group of Garnets.

The fact is that the Garnet group has over twelve different types, and while red is the most popular and the most commonly occurring form of Garnet, it is far from the only hue one can obtain. What's the more exciting thing about Garnet is that it is discovered and mined in nearly every continent of the earth, and some of the varieties are nearly exhausted. You know what limited supplies mean for the gemstone industry, right? It suggests these rare gemstones are due for a substantial price increase.

The popularity of Garnet can be determined by this Aristotle quote he wrote two thousand years ago. "The garnet is a red gemstone, but not like rubies, its red is much more like a flame, and if correctly cut and polished will reveal all its beauty and perfection."

Types of Garnet Stones:

Garnet gemstone is broken down into several different types we know and love. Other types of garnets are not used for gems but used as sandpaper, as filters, for waterjet cutting and blasting, and for many other industrial uses.

There are six generally accepted types of garnets as follows.

1. Almandine: The most common form of garnet gemstone and is usually dark red to reddish-brown in colour. Almandine is the hardest type of garnet and, when clear enough, is cut for use in many styles of jewellery.

2. Pyrope: Perhaps the most well-known garnet, the deep red variety which can rival rubies, is the most valued of this type.

3. Spessartite: At their best, this type of garnet is an exact bright orange colour with exceptional brilliance, making it the most sought after gemstone.

4. Grossular: In their purest state, this form of garnet is colourless, but impurities can turn this gemstone into several beautiful colours, including the rare green Tsavorite, one of the most valuable garnet gemstones available.

5. Andradite: This is the most lustrous of the garnet gemstones and comes in a variety of colours, most famously green or black, but the term Andradite is not often used when describing gemstones, usually broken down into different groups or types, including the highly prized Demantoid garnets.

6. Uvarovite: Uniquely for a garnet gemstone, this gemstone only appears in green colour. It is very rare and typically comes in very small crystals.

These are the six major types of garnet stones with six generally recognized names for the garnet gemstone family. However, these are then divided further into a group depending on trade names, sources, colours, or a combination of two or more of the above species.

Garnet Colors: When someone thinks of garnets, the colour that usually pops to mind is red, a lovely deep red like rubies, but garnets come in a wide variety of colours, which is not surprising when you consider the gemstones varied background.

In most gemstones, such colour variations are caused by impurities within their host crystals. With garnets, it is the same story. However, with such a mixture of chemical ingredients, it can be a little bit tricky to decide what mineral causes which colour.

Some gemstones, including garnets, get their colour from their basic chemical formula, part of the gemstone's physical structure, not an added impurity.

Well, we do not want this article to sound like a chemistry lesson, so we will keep it as basic as possible. Orange and pink garnets are usually orange and pink because of manganese's presence during formation, red and brown from iron, green from aluminium, yellow and chromium, or vanadium from calcium.

Such mineral impurities can occur in combinations, too, so a chromium and iron mix may produce a purple garnet. Very much like mixing paints, with almost any hue is available.

At this point, it is worth saying that one chemical, aluminium, for example, can cause different colours in different gemstones, the green in garnets, the black in psilomelane, and the red in tourmaline.

There are many candidates for the rarest colour in a garnet. The rich orange-red spessartine garnets, also known as Mandarin, are rare and precious. There is the trio of gorgeous green garnets, the Demantoid, the equally green Tsavorite, and the Uvarovite garnet. The rarest of all is probably the colour-change garnet from Tanzania and Madagascar, which can appear blue in the sunlight but change to red or purple under artificial lights.

Garnet Clarity:

If you were offered two equally vibrantly coloured gemstones of the same size and cut, the clearest one with the fewest blemishes would be the more valuable. This rule applies to garnets too. A typical coloured garnet should be eye-clean at least, and as they are fairly common, any flaws or inclusions are not really acceptable.

But, when it comes to the rarer and more valuable gemstones. The rule remains the same, but the story changes a little. The better the clarity, the better the gemstone but flaws and blemishes within the gemstone are somewhat acceptable as a part of the character of expensive gemstones.

Demantoid garnets are possibly the most valuable within the garnet family. However, the presence of 'horsetail' inclusions can actually increase its value dramatically. These so-called horsetails inclusion are fine golden hair-like flaws within the gemstone and are made of a type of asbestos. This unusual horsetail inclusion in rare Russian demantoid garnet is considered as the most reliable indication of Russian origin by experienced collectors since the more common Namibian demantoid lacks such distinctive inclusions.

Another valuable and rare garnet is the Uvarovite garnet, which is usually opaque at best, so clarity does not really come into play.

The third of the premium-priced green garnets are the Tsavorite; this is more typical of high quality. The cleaner, the better; still, it is considered that a large natural gemstone may have some blemishes or flaws even if it is deemed to be eye-clean.

Garnet Stone Price:

Garnets stone prices come in a comprehensive range, from a charming but affordable red pyrope for a few dollars per carat up to a Demantoid or Tsavorite garnet costing thousands of dollars per carat.

Because garnets come in such a variety of colours, rarity, and types, it is all-important that you buy your gemstone from a reputable dealer.

Garnet Stone for sale - Price List

Because, Garnets historically have been mistaken for rubies, and while these days scientific methods make this very difficult, some dealers may try to suggest that beautiful rich red garnet is a ruby.

The 4Cs, cut, colour, clarity, and carat size should always be your guide when buying any coloured gemstone. Garnets are no exception, but with such a wide range of colours, clarity, and even hardness, much care must be taken.

The source of the garnet stone does not usually affect the value with one or two exceptions. The valuable Demantoid garnets from the Ural Mountains of Russia are the most prized and reach much higher prices than those found in Zaire or Namibia in Africa or parts of Europe. Tsavorite gemstone is a trading name for the green garnet discovered on Kenya and Tanzania's border and is pretty much the only source from this region. However, some similar samples have been found in Madagascar.

Gandhara Gemstones have many exquisite pieces of loose and rough garnet for sale at more reasonable prices!

Price List of Cheap Garnet Stones

What jewellery is suitable for Garnet?

Garnets have a comparatively wide range on the Mohs hardness scale, Demantoid garnets are 6.5 to 7 on the Mohs scale, and Tsavorite and Pyrope are 7 to 7.5. All garnets fall within 6.5 and 7.5, so they are strong enough to be used in almost any style of jewellery. However, we recommend removing the jewellery while participating in any vigorous activity such as house cleaning, sports, or gardening.

To be extra careful, especially with the more expensive varieties, it would be wise to have the jewellery with more protective settings such as a bezel for a ring or wear the garnets as earrings or pendants where they are less likely to get scratch.

While they are strong enough to endure the rigours of daily wear, care should be taken to avoid any sharp scratches. The crystals should be stored carefully to avoid contact with other hard materials that could break, chip, or scratch the gemstone or any softer gemstones which could be scratched by them.

Garnet comes in a remarkable range of colours and mostly at very low prices but are not often seen in very big carat sizes, so keep that in mind when thinking of a design for your garnet gemstone jewellery.

Regular garnet gemstones are cut into standard shapes and sizes for ease when setting into jewellery. However, the expensive Demantoid and Tsavorite are usually cut in a way to best show off the gemstone's finest qualities.

If you are setting a garnet gemstone in a metal, the choice of metal will come down to a matter of colour and taste, which means that you will be able to find something to match any metal alloy.

Some interesting facts about Garnet stone:

Let nature do their work: Miners in Arizona get help in the most unexpected way. Ants digging new homes often came across little garnet blocking their passageways, so they drag them to the surface as rain washes them off the hillsides into small gullies where local’s collectors can collect these tiny ready-tumbled gemstones. They are also called Anthill Garnets.

Garnet gemstone is the perfect gift for the 2nd anniversary; what better way to celebrate the early years of your anniversary than with this lovely gemstone.

Ancient Roman politicians and nobles used faceted garnet signet rings as stamps to seal the wax on important documents.

The biggest Garnet stone ever was dug up in New York City: In 1885, workers working in the sewers beneath New York City found a 4.5 kg garnet that was the size of a bowling ball. It was named (The Kunz Garnet) after George F Kunz, and, after serving time as a doorstop, it is now residing in the American Museum of Natural History.

The biggest Tsavorite ever found: A deep green Tsavorite gemstone was found in East Africa, which is significantly smaller than the Kunz Garnet, however at 325 carats and crystal clear, it is valued at over two million dollars.