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Amethyst Information
Amethyst

Ametrine Information
Ametrine

Aquamarine Information
Aquamarine

Citrine Information
Citrine

Emerald Information
Emerald

Garnet Information
Garnet
Demantoid Garnet
Mali Garnet
Rhodolite Garnet
Spessartite Garnet
Tsavorite Garnet


Kunzite Information
Kunzite

Kyanite Information
Kyanite

Morganite Information
Morganite

Opal Information
Opal

Peridot Information
Peridot

Ruby Information
Rubies

Sapphire Information
Sapphire Blue
Sapphire Fancy
Sapphire Green
Sapphire Parti
Sapphire Pink
Sapphire Yellow

Spinel Information
Spinel

Tanzanite Information
Tanzanite

Topaz Information
Topaz
Imperial Topaz

Tourmaline Information
Tourmaline

Zircon Information
Zircon

Andradite

The best known andradite variety is DEMANTOID, which was discovered in 1868 in the Ural Mountain area of Russia. It resembles an emerald with added brilliance and fire. Its fire (dispersion) is greater than that of any other natural gemstone, including diamond. The name “demantoid” comes from the Old German word demant meaning diamond-like. A lot of Victorian gemstone jewellery made between 1885 and 1915 featured demantoid. Good demantoid is not easy to find today. For more than 80 years, most of the mining in Russia ceased, but the Russian’s are now producing it again. Recent finds in Namibia have made it more available. Some demantoid is also mined in Mexico, Italy, Czechoslovakia and Arizona, but the colour tends to be yellowish. Asbestos-fibre inclusions resembling horsetails are considered a positive feature in demantoid. Their presence strongly suggests the stones are from Russian Ural region, which has also been the source of some high-quality alexandrite. The opaque black variety of andradite, Melanite, has been used in mourning jewellery. The crystals of Topazolite, a yellow variety, are rare and typically small (Newman 2003)

Spessartine or Spessartite

This species can be yellowish orange to reddish orange or brownish orange. The most valued colour is orange with red overtones. Sources include Nigeria, Sri Lanka, Brazil, Afghanistan, Myanmar, Madagascar, East Africa and California. One place that’s particularly noted for high-quality spessartine is the Little Three Mine in California. One Spessartine mined in Namibia is usually called mandarine garnet. Spessartine from Kashmir is named Kashmirine (Newman 2003).  In the past few years Tanzania has emerged as a supplier of Spessartite and it tends to possess more yellow tones of colour.

Almandine or Almandite

Much of the material which is sold as almandine is low priced pyrope (garnet composed mostly of pyrope with some almandine and grossular). This leads people to believe that almandine is more plentiful than it actually is. Opinions differ as to how almandine should be defined. At the very last, the chief component should be almandine. But mineralogists disagree on how much almandine should be present and what its properties should be. According to noted gemmologist Robert Webster (Gems, p. 174), the bottom limits for the refractive index and specific gravity of almandine are 1.78 and 3.95. However, these figures are arbitrary. Almandines of high purity are rare and typically have a purplish colour. Sources include Sri Lanka, India, Brazil, Australia, Tanzania, Madagascar and the U.S. Star almandine is found in Idaho. These star garnets usually have four rays but six rays may be seen in certain directions of some stones (Newman 2003).

Rhodolite

Rhodolite was discovered in 1882 in North Carolina. Those deposits have been depleted, but since then it has been found in Africa, Brazil, India and Sri Lanka. Tanzania is the major commercial source. The name of this purplish-red garnet comes from the Greek rhodo (rose) and lithos (stone).  Top-quality stones are clean, very transparent and saturated in colour but not dark (Newman 2003).

Pyrope

This garnet’s name is derived from the Greek pyropos meaning “fire like,” alluding to its deep red colour. Pyrope is found throughout the world, with some of the best quality coming from the diamond mines of South Africa. As a result, it has sometimes been referred to as “cape ruby.” “Arizona ruby” is a misnomer for pyrope from Arizona. The redder the stone, the more valuable it is. Eye-clean material is readily available (Newman 2003).

Mali Garnet or Grandite

Marketed only since 1995, Mali garnets are found in western Africa in the Republic of Mali. They can be various shades of green, yellow or brown. These “new” garnets often resemble faceted chrysoberyl, and their prices are similar (Newman 2003).

Malaia (Malaya)

Consisting mostly of pyrope-spessartine, this distinctive orange variety may be reddish, pinkish or yellowish. It was found in East Africa in the search for rhodolite, a purplish-red garnet coveted in Japan.  In Europe, gemmologists often refer to it as umbalite. “Malaia” is the Swahili word for “outcast” or “prostitute” (Newman 2003).

Colour Change Garnet

Is found in many different colours and displays a variation of colour behaviour. For example, it may be blue or green in daylight and reddish in incandescent light. Colour-change garnet consists mainly of pyrope-spessartite with some grossular (Newman 2003).

Grossular Garnet - Tsavorite

A gorgeous transparent green that arguably rivals the best emerald for saturated colour and brilliance.  Only discovered in Tanzania in 1968 and then later discovered in Kenya it was named by Tiffany & Co. after the Tsavo National Park. 

Hessonite Garnet

Hessonite is a less valued form of Grossular garnet.  The colours are typically brownish with tones of red, orange or yellow.

Garnets are the birthstone for January and are the 2nd Wedding Anniversary gemstone.

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