Traditionally, garnet is associated with the color red…

Garnet is a member of the gemstone family known as fine stones. There are several varieties of garnet, some of which offer unsuspected colors. Thus, red is not the exclusive color of garnet: discover what are the true colors of garnet stone.

The definition of garnet

The composition of garnet

Garnets are often equated with red, but can also be orange, pink, green, black and honey brown. Garnet is a generic name for many minerals, each of which is named after its color. Of course each of these garnets is characterized by the same main chemical formula: [SiO44-]. It is the chemical elements added to this formula that will define the color of the mineral.

In the large family of garnets, there are two groups that we can define: pyralpites and calcic. The pyralpites have a color due to the presence of iron going from brown to red whereas the calcic ones owe their color to impurity elements. They can thus be green due to vanadium or due to chromium, etc.

Places of production of garnet

The main garnet producing countries are Canada, Brazil, Mali, Nigeria, Tanzania, Namibia, Madagascar, Kenya, Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, China and Russia. They are produced in abundance throughout the world, but of course some varieties of garnet are much rarer than others.

The true colors of garnet through its many varieties

Pyrope

With its fiery red color due to chromium, pyrope garnet is sometimes confused with ruby, but its chemical formula is not at all the same. It is a garnet of magnesium, silica and alumina. It is widely distributed throughout the world.

Almandine

Almandine is a garnet of iron and aluminum, whose color range produced by the iron is from reddish-brown to violet-red. It is often referred to as the “color of wine” because its color is so reminiscent of the drink. Like pyrope, it is widespread throughout the world.

The Spessartite

Spessartite, a warm fanta orange color, is a garnet of manganese and aluminum. Large and clear, richly faceted, it is one of the most distinguished garnets. Its high refractive power gives this stone incandescent brilliance and sparkling luminosity.

Grossular

Grossular, a calcium aluminum garnet, has several varieties, the best known being hessonite, described as a cinnamon stone for its color. There is also another very beautiful variety: tsavorite, a highly sought-after green color. Tsavorite gets its color from the elements chromium and vanadium that also color emerald, which explains its exceptional green color.

Andradite

Andradite is, like grossularite, a species of garnet with several varieties:

The most extraordinary is undoubtedly the demantoid of a brilliant green. Its dispersion: the phenomenon which makes it possible to see by handling the stone of the rainbow reflections called fires, makes this stone exceptional. Its fires are more intense than those of diamonds and its very high refractive power give it such a beautiful quality that its sparkling beauty could compete with emerald if it were harder and less rare. Today Ural demantoid garnets, if they have well-placed chrysotile (yellow) ponytail fibers in the stone, become much more valuable. These stones are highly sought after.

There are many other varieties of Andradite such as Melanite (black), Topazolite (brown to lemon yellow) and the so-called “Mali” grandites (yellow to green).

Uvarovite

This green garnet named after a Russian count and statesman, Sergey Semeonovich Uvarov is very rare in gem quality, so this stone is primarily a collector’s stone.

Recognizing a real garnet

Like all gemstones, garnet is not immune to falsification. One should always be wary of fake gems and it is not always easy to recognize a real garnet. The first clue is the price of the garnet: if the price is too low, it should be a red flag, because no one sells a real gemstone for less than the market price, even during sales or discounts. The size of the gem is also something to consider: real garnet is not that common and if it is a rare variety, the size of the stone rarely exceeds 6 millimeters. Finally, the best way to be certain of acquiring a real garnet is to have a certificate of authenticity issued by a specialist laboratory.

The benefits of garnet

Like many gemstones, garnet is known to have a number of virtues and benefits. Here are some of them:

– Strengthens vital energy;

– Regulates blood circulation;

– Soothes heart problems;

– Fights against fatigue and apathy;

– Improves sexual energy.

If you are interested in garnets, don’t hesitate to discover what Les Pierres de Julie offer in our store…

We are also available for any free expertise of your garnet jewelry, for that you can send an email with your photos to contact@lespierresdejulie.com.

Whether you're interested in buying a piece of jewellery or a stone, a free jewelry appraisal or jewelry resale, Pierres de Julie welcomes you to its Parisian boutique in the Village Suisse, a stone's throw from the Ecole Militaire and the Esplanade des Invalides.