Color:
Garnets will occur in many colors including
red, purple, orange, yellow, green, brown.
In general the colors by name will be pyrope:
red, tsavorite:green, spessartite:orange,
almandite:brownish/red. Blue is extremely
rare. I've only seen it in color changing
varieties.....twice.
Durability:
Extremely durable!
Locations:
Garnets are found world wide, but some varieties
are unique to one area only. Tsavorite, for
example is found only in the Tsavo Area of
Kenya.
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Garnet is a group of minerals, with similar
chemical composition and a common crystal
habit. The following are the 6 members of
the garnet family:
| Name |
Chemistry |
Colors and Varietal Names |
| Almandine |
Iron
Aluminum Silicate |
deep wine red |
| Pyrope |
Magnesium
Aluminum Silicate |
deep dead red |
| Grossular |
Calcium
Aluminum Silicate |
Rosolite=pale
orangish pink; Tsavorite=electric
green; Transvaal Jade=massive green |
| Spessartite |
Manganese
Aluminum Silicate |
orange
red or brownish |
| Andradite |
Calcium
Iron Silicate |
Demantoid=green;
Melanite=black |
| Uvarovite |
Calcium
Chromium Silicate |
green |
When
the chemical compositions of almandine and
pyrope overlap, Malaya (orange-red) and Rhodolite (violet red) garnets are produced. The
rarest color for a garnet to occur in is blue.
I personally have only seen blue tones in
color changing varieties.
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Garnet promotes honor, courage and nobility.
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