Is spessartite garnet the same as mandarin garnet?
Is spessartite garnet the same as mandarin garnet?
Mandarin garnet is unequivocally orange, but its exact definition can vary. “Mandarin garnet” has been used as a trade name for vivid orange spessartite garnets from Namibia as well as a trade name for all spessartite garnets that possess that color.
What is Mandarin spessartite garnet?
Mandarin Spessartite Garnet is a rare form of orange garnet often referred to as Mandarin Garnet for its vivid orange color. These gems actually occur in a range of colors from yellowish orange to reddish orange and orange-red. The vivid orange is the most valuable, especially clean stones in larger sizes.
Is orange garnet valuable?
The saturated pure orange is the rarest and most valuable, with prices ranging from $1,000 to $2,000 per carat depending on size. The bright yellowish-orange is the second most valuable color, with prices in the range of $750 to $1,200 per carat.
Is spessartite garnet rare?
Known also as Fanta Garnet or simply Spessartite Garnet, a bright orange Mandarin Spessartite Garnet is extremely rare. It is in fact the rarest and, often, most expensive of the Spessartite family.
How can you tell Spessartite garnet?
Identifying Spessartite Garnet Spessartite garnet can be identified by its orange color. Garnet in general can be distinguished from other gem types by its occurrence in metamorphic rock, its hardness (6.5 – 7.5 on the Mohs scale), color, refractive index and cubic crystal structure.
What is the difference between hessonite and Spessartite garnet?
Distinction between hessonite and spessartine is fairly straightforward, too. Hessonite has a refractive index of 1.731 to 1.754 whereas the R.I. of spessartine lies between 1.795 and 1,985 which is beyond the range of a standard refractometer. Hessonite can also be identified by its typical inclusions.
How do you identify Spessartite?
Spessartite garnet can be identified by its orange color. Garnet in general can be distinguished from other gem types by its occurrence in metamorphic rock, its hardness (6.5 – 7.5 on the Mohs scale), color, refractive index and cubic crystal structure.
Is Spessartite a gemstone?
Spessartite is an orange to orange-red form of the gemstone Garnet. The term Garnet describes a group name for several closely related minerals that form important gemstones, and Spessartite is an individual member mineral of the Garnet group.
How hard is Spessartite?
With a hardness of 7-7.5 and no cleavage, spessartites make durable gemstones suitable for any type of jewelry, including engagement ring stones.
Which garnet is best?
Vivid red garnets are the most desirable. See this pendant here. Garnets that are vivid red in color are more valuable than others, with a few exceptions such as the brilliant green varieties. Look for a vivid spectral red for the best types of garnets.
What is the rarest color of garnet?
The rarest Garnets are peach, green and clear. The red Garnets are more common.
What color garnet is most valuable?
What are the colors of a Mandarin garnet?
Mandarin garnet (spessartite), 20.04 cts, 15 x 13 x 12 mm, Namibia. © Rob Lavinsky, www.iRocks.com. Used with permission. While the colors of spessartine or spessartite garnet gemstones cover a wide range of orange shades, the mandarin garnet is as pure orange as this variety can be.
Where can I find a pure orange spessartite?
The pure orange, known as mandarin or fanta orange, is very rare and has been found in only a few deposits in Africa, notably in Nigeria. These top spessartites are sought after by gem collectors.
What makes a spessartite Garnet an orange color?
Spessartite garnet is singly refractive and thus has no birefringence. Spessartite garnet is ideochromatic, meaning that it is colored by a fundamental element in its composition. That element is manganese, which produces an orange color.
How big is a pear cut Mandarin garnet?
Pear-cut mandarin orange spessartite garnet, 4.66 cts, 11.6 x 8.8 x 5.4 mm, Namibia. Image courtesy of liveauctioneers.com and Simrit Collections.
