What is spessartite garnet?

What is spessartite garnet?

Spessartine, previously called spessartite, is one of the most rare forms of garnet. Because of its bright orange color, it is also known as Mandarin garnet. These orange colored stones are pure, while other colored stones have iron content, which changes the orange to a darker color.

Is Mandarin Garnet valuable?

Mandarin Spessartite Garnet is a rare form of orange garnet often referred to as Mandarin Garnet for its vivid orange color. The vivid orange is the most valuable, especially clean stones in larger sizes. The reddish and orange and orange-red are also valuable in fine quality.

Is Mandarin garnet the same as spessartite garnet?

“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.

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.

Is spessartite garnet expensive?

Prices on spessartite garnet vary according to quality and size. The main quality factors are color and clarity. The saturated pure orange is the rarest and most valuable, with prices ranging from $1,000 to $2,000 per carat depending on size. High quality stones over 5 carats are rare and collectible.

Is spessartite 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.

Is Spessartite garnet expensive?

Is Spessartite rare?

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.

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.

Is Spessartite expensive?

By chemical composition, spessartite is a manganese aluminum silicate and it is manganese that gives this gem its distinctive orange color. The golden-orange and reddish-orange colors are generally less expensive, with prices generally from $200 to $700 per carat for clean and well cut stones.

How much is pyrope garnet worth?

Rhodolite is a valuable type of garnet and the starting price for an heirloom quality 1 carat stone can be approximately $1,000. A high-quality 1 carat pyrope-almandine garnet can cost around $300.

Are garnets expensive?

Amongst the more commonly available Garnets, on a per carat basis, the Demantoid and Tsavorite Garnets tend to be the most expensive, and the price per carat tends to increase dramatically with larger stones. Garnets are rarely treated.

Are garnets valuable?

Garnets are hard, durable and brilliant and are valued on carat weight, color, cut and clarity. The value is based on the factors as a whole. For example, two garnets of the same weight could have very different values because the color of one is inferior to the other.

What is the value of a garnet stone?

Loose rough garnet stones can cost anywhere from $0.60 to $10 per carat. AwesomeGems.com has a variety of garnet stones available for sale. For instance, a 0.05-carat demantoid garnet round mixed cut retails for $1,000, while a one-carat color-change garnet stone retails for $1,500.