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Garnet Specimens
The term "garnet" includes a group of more than ten different gemstones of similar chemical composition.
It is true to say that red is the colour most often encountered, but the garnet also exists in various shades of green, a
tender to intense yellow, a fiery orange and some fine earth-coloured nuances. The only colour it cannot offer is blue. Garnets
are much sought-after and much worked gemstones - the more so because today it is not only the classical gemstone colours
red and green which are so highly esteemed, but also the fine hues in between. Furthermore, the world of the garnets is also
rich in rarities such as star garnets and stones whose colour changes depending on whether they are seen in daylight or artificial
light.
Garnet has a hardness of 7 to 7.5 on the Mohs scale. With a few minor exceptions it applies to all the
members of the garnet group, and it is the reason for the excellent wearing qualities of these gemstones. Garnets are relatively
insensitive and uncomplicated to work with. The only thing they really don't like is being knocked about or subjected to improper
heat treatment. A further plus is their high refractive index, the cause of the garnet's great brilliance. The shape of the
raw crystals is also interesting. Garnet means something like 'the grainy one', coming from the Latin 'granum', for grain.
This makes reference not only to the typical roundish shape of the crystals, but also to the colour of the red garnet, which
often puts one in mind of the seeds of a ripe pomegranate. In the Middle Ages, the red garnet was also called the 'carbuncle
stone'. And even today, fantasy names like Arizona ruby, Arizona spinel, Montana ruby or New Mexico ruby are still rife in
the trade.
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Petite gemmy spessartite garnets from Ruby Mountain, Nathrop, Colorado. I collected this and several similiar specimens
back in 1997. Besides the piece I kept for myself, this is the last specimen I have. Seems like a good excuse
to go back to Colorado to me! Approx. size: 80x50x31 Weight: 155.3 grams
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Beautiful red grossular garnet crystals, nestled amongst petite smokey quartz crystals both sitting on white orthoclase
crystals. Enticing specimen from the Yun Xiao Mine in Fujian, China. Approx. size: 59x55x22 Weight: 83.4
grams
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Bright red spessartite garnet crystals nestled in adularia feldspar from the Skardu District, Pakistan. Approx.
size: 32x29x18 Weight: 17.7 grams
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Here's a very non-gemmy nicely formed crystal from the classic star garnet location of Emerald Creek, Clarkia, Idaho.
Mounted in a 1½" perky box. Approx. size15x10x8 Weight: 11.7 cts.
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Nice specimen with bits of garnet scattered about the piece and two small gemmy perfect crystals all lying on a matrix
of feldspar and quartz. Great little piece form the Skardu region of Pakistan. Approx. size: 55x29x24 Weight:
44.2 gm.
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Gemmy crystal about 6mm in diameter with very cooling etching on the surface and sitting on a matrix of milky quartz,
from the Skardu Valley. Approx. size: 45x37x15 Weight: 34.5 gm.
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There are several small, but very, very gemmy crystals scattered over this piece of quartz from the Skardu
Valley, Pakistan. Approx. size: 51x24x19 Weight: 27.9 gm.
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Blocky piece of crystalline milky quartz with a nice 8mm garnet crystal set so as to sow itself off quite well.
From the Skardu Valley, Pakistan. Approx. size: 50x50x31 Weight: 67.7 gm.
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Wonderful little specimen of garnet on white crystalline quartz from the Skardu Valley, Pakistan. Approx. size:
35x27x22 Weight: 19.8 gm.
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Beautiful little cluster of brownish-red crystals from the Skardu Valley, Pakistan. Approx. size: 38x31x20 Weight:
26 gm.
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Pretty group of crystals on milky crystalline quartz from the Skardu Valley in Pakistan. Approx. size: 41x33x15
Weight: 18.3 gm.
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Amazing, gemmy single crystal perched upon a matrix of white quartz with mica measuring about 5mm wide. Wonderful
little specimen from the Skardu Valley, Pakistan. Approx. size: 41x31x19 Weight: 33.8 gm.
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Nice piece from the Skardu Valley, pakistan with garnet scattered all over the piece including two crystals between
6 and 7 mm wide. Wonderful, unique specimen from this classic location! Approx. size: 56x48x39 Weight: 83.5
gm.
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