Clarity Major Sources Typical clarity depends on garnet type. For Afghanistan, Brazil, India, Iran, Kenya, example, the red , and Madagascar, Myanmar, Namibia, , typically do not have eye-visible inclusions. Pakistan, Russia, Sri Lanka, Tanzania Garnet Some of the orange garnets like and Mineral Thought to possess calming and hessonite, often have eye-visible inclusions. Because Garnet group inclusions affect its clarity, hessonite is not often used restorative powers. Mohs Hardness in jewelry. 6.5 to 7.5 The name garnet comes from the medieval Latin Sources Toughness “granatus,” meaning pomegranate, in reference to the With many different garnet species, the sources for this Good similarity in color. Thousands of years ago, red garnet gem vary. Most tsavorite garnet comes from the East necklaces adorned the necks of Egypt’s pharaohs, African countries of Tanzania, Kenya and Madagascar. Color and were entombed with their mummies as prized Russia is recognized as the source for high-quality All colors possessions for the afterlife. In ancient Rome, signet garnet. Birthstone Images courtesy: Mayer & Watt, Maysville, Kentucky; Wayne and Dona Leicht Wayne Kentucky; Maysville, Watt, & Images courtesy: Mayer rings with carved garnets were used as seals to stamp January the wax that secured important documents. Centuries Treatments Garnets can come in many colors but some have Care and Cleaning later, during Roman scholar Pliny’s time (23 to 79 CE), specific variety names. Purple-red to purple Garnet is rarely treated. Warm, soapy water is always safe red garnets were among the most widely traded gems. almandine is called rhodolite. Brownish orange is known as hessonite while green for cleaning garnets. Ultrasonic In the Middle Ages (about 475 to 1450 CE), red garnet grossular is called tsavorite. Green is cleaners are usually safe except for was favored by clergy and nobility. called demantoid. stones that have fractures. Steam Color cleaning is not recommended. Garnets are a set of closely related minerals that form a group, resulting in in almost every color. Pyrope and almandine range in color from purple to red. Spessartine is found in a variety of oranges and yellows, Garnets can even exhibit the while andradite is mostly yellow to green. Grossular has color-change phenomenon similar to the rare perhaps the widest color range of any garnet species, alexandrite. from colorless through yellow to reddish orange and orangy red, to a strong vibrant green called tsavorite. Courtesy of

The Passion of Colored Gemstones