| Most people think of a dark red colored gemstone | | | | Rhodolite |
| when they think of garnet, but garnet is actually a | | | | Rhodolite is the name used to describe the lovely |
| whole series of different gems. Beyond the | | | | pinkish, purplish or lavender Red Garnets which |
| well-known deep reds, garnet can be purchased in | | | | are a mixture of Almandite and Pyrope. This |
| cinnamon to tangerine shades orange, light | | | | name was first used in the late 1800's to describe |
| yellows, deep purple, grass greens and soft | | | | the new rhododendron shade of Garnets |
| lavender-pink. Garnet is all these colors and many | | | | discovered in North Carolina. In general, Rhodolite |
| more. Garnets are actually a closely related group | | | | Garnets are not as dark as the common Pyrope |
| of different gemstones that are available in nearly | | | | or Almandine Garnets. Most Rhodolites seen today |
| every color. There are garnets that change color | | | | are African in origin and are bright, transparent |
| in different light, translucent green garnets that | | | | Gems. These are probably the most popular |
| look like jade and garnets with stars. Some kinds | | | | garnet seen in fine jewelry today. Common |
| of garnets have been mined for thousands of | | | | shades of Rhodolite include Red stones, purplish |
| years and some garnet varieties were just | | | | Red and the popular Raspberry Rhodolite, a rich |
| discovered in the few last decades. Garnets are | | | | red-Purple with bright Lavender highlights. Rhodolite |
| fairly hard and durable gemstones that are ideal | | | | garnet is mined in Africa, India, and Sri Lanka. |
| for jewelry use, except for demantoid, which is a | | | | Brazil is producing a dark purplish Rhodolite, |
| bit softer and requires more protection. Because | | | | sometimes called grape garnet, because of its |
| some garnets are inexpensive and have been | | | | similarity in color to concord grape jam. |
| used in the past for cheap jewelry, garnet is the | | | | Tsavorite |
| gemstone which just doesn't seem to get the | | | | Tsavorite is the most desirable of all garnets, with |
| "respect" it is due. This is rapidly changing in light | | | | a wonderful purity and intensity of its beautiful |
| of the many new varieties of stunning colors now | | | | green color. Until Tsavorite was discovered in the |
| available in Garnet gems. | | | | late 1960's there was no other gemstone but |
| Garnets have been used as ornamentation for | | | | emerald that could offer the gem buyer such a |
| more than 5,000 years. Garnet beads have been | | | | rich, dark green color. This magnificent green |
| found in Egyptian excavations dating back to 3200 | | | | garnet has been in great demand for jewelry |
| B.C. The breastplate of Aaron, which was worn | | | | since its discovery, and for good reasons: it is |
| around 2,000 B.C., is said to have contained a | | | | harder than emerald, more durable in jewelry, less |
| Garnet. The Asians in the 4th century B.C. used | | | | included than emerald, more brilliant when faceted, |
| Garnets in creating their seals. Frequently Garnets | | | | and is much rarer than emerald. In short, it is (by |
| were carved into cameos and intaglios and worn | | | | all counts) a better gemstone, but it lacks the |
| in rings. Carbuncle is an old term which typically | | | | magic and the antiquity of the name "emerald". |
| referred to a Cabochon Garnet. The back of the | | | | For this reason it is known to far fewer people, is |
| Cab was hollowed out to create a brighter Garnet | | | | in much lower demand, and is therefore much |
| and make it more transparent. The ancient world | | | | less expensive than emerald of comparable color. |
| is full of praise for the carbuncle, the glowing red | | | | Even so, because of its beauty, Tsavorite is the |
| coal of a gemstone we now know as garnet. The | | | | most expensive of the garnet family. It is actually |
| name garnet probably comes from pomegranate. | | | | a form of Grossular, colored green by the |
| Many ancient pieces of garnet jewelry are | | | | presence of trace amounts of the metal |
| studded with tiny red stones that do look a lot | | | | vanadium. |
| like a cluster of pomegranate seeds! | | | | Tsavorite was first unearthed in Tanzania and |
| The Garnet group of minerals has 20 different | | | | Kenya; the name "Tsavorite" is actually a trade |
| species. The most commonly recognized are | | | | name created by Tiffany and Co., in reference to |
| Pyrope, Almandite, Spessartite, Grossular and | | | | the Tsavo National Park in Kenya (located near |
| Andradite. The chemical formula for Garnet is | | | | the Tsavorite locality). The geology of Tsavorite |
| complex with all species having a slightly different | | | | is such that the supply is extremely sporadic. The |
| combination of elements. During crystallization | | | | heat and folding of the rock hundreds of millions |
| some elements interchange to form a mixed | | | | of years ago which formed Tsavorite also |
| Garnet consisting of two or more different | | | | shattered most of the crystals. It is very rare to |
| species. Pyrope-Almandite, Almandite-Spessartite | | | | find Tsavorite in sizes larger than five carats, and |
| and Pyrope-Spessartite are examples of these | | | | most faceted stones are below two carats. Many |
| types of intergrowth. Garnets have a hardness of | | | | deposits of Tsavorite are small and unpredictable: |
| 6.5-7.5 and are excellent choices for jewelry. | | | | seams suddenly narrow and disappear, giving no |
| Garnet crystals form in the cubic system, typically | | | | indication where to look next. Most of the rough is |
| as a 12-sided crystal or dodecahedron. They are | | | | highly shattered in place (due to earth |
| available in all colors except pure Blue. One | | | | movements over the centuries), which accounts |
| problem with some types of garnets comes from | | | | for the great rarity of large, clean stones. |
| their deeply saturated color. In many types of | | | | There have been perhaps 40 different areas |
| garnet, especially Pyrope and some Almandines, | | | | where Tsavorite has been mined but only four |
| gems cut into large sizes will be too dark to | | | | mining ventures are still producing in commercial |
| reflect light and the stones will appear black. It is | | | | quantities. The Scorpion Mine in southeast Kenya |
| important to consider this fact when buying larger | | | | is now producing from tunnels sunk on an incline |
| deep colored garnets. In general, garnets are not | | | | for more than 200 feet. The other major |
| treated to change their color, in the way that | | | | producer in this area has a large open-cast |
| many other gems are. Here is a brief description | | | | operation to a depth of 40 feet which has yielded |
| of a few of the better-known gem varieties of | | | | a considerable quantity of Tsavorite. |
| garnet gems: | | | | Unfortunately, the owners are unable to continue |
| Almandine | | | | mining by this method and are beginning to |
| Almandine is perhaps the most common of the | | | | introduce underground mining. Recently, a new |
| garnet family, and is the deep red to red-brown | | | | Tsavorite-producing area was discovered in |
| stone most often thought of when people think | | | | Lokirima, about a thousand kilometers northwest |
| of garnet. It is an inexpensive stone, but new | | | | of the previously known localities. Although this |
| mines in east Africa are producing Almandine in | | | | locality is only producing a small quantity, it is |
| more desirable red to red-orange colors which | | | | promising that the possibility of finding Tsavorite |
| have no brown undertones. The major sources of | | | | exists over a wider area than previously thought. |
| Almandine are Madagascar, India and Sri Lanka. | | | | Tsavorite garnet has more than tripled in price |
| Almandines are sometimes available in large sizes, | | | | since its introduction to the marketplace, but at |
| and most garnet sculptures are done in Almandine. | | | | current price levels it still sells at a tenth or less of |
| Entire cups or vases have been made from single | | | | the price of emerald of comparable quality. |
| crystals. Because of its depth of color and | | | | Stones over 2 carats are extremely rare, and 5+ |
| saturation, some faceted gems cut too large | | | | carat gems of fine color are virtual museum |
| from this deeply colored material will not sparkle | | | | pieces. |
| because they are too dark to reflect the light. | | | | |