Rhodolite Garnet is the name applied to a mixture of almandite and pyrope. Most probably the name rhodolite comes from the Greek word, "rhodon", meaning rose.
Rhodolite tends to be lighter in color than most other kinds of red garnet. It can be easily confused with ruby because of the similarity in color. The mixture of red and violet in rhodolites is very attractive. Purple-red is the most sought after color for rhodolite.
The impressive brilliance of rhodolite garnets is a result of their high refractive index.
The excellent hardness of 7 to 7.5 on the Mohs scale makes garnet suitable for all kinds of jewelry. Garnet is the January birthstone.
Rhodolite Garnet colors
Buying Rhodolite Garnet
Where is Rhodolite Garnet found?
Common Rhodolite Garnet Treatments
World-famous Rhodolite Garnet
Rhodolite Garnet gemology
Rhodolite Garnet legends & lore
Rhodolite Garnet colors
Rhodolite tends to be lighter in color than most other kinds of red garnet. It can be easily confused with ruby because of the similarity in color. The mixture of red and violet in rhodolites is very attractive. Purple-red is the most sought after color for rhodolite. Buying Rhodolite Garnet
Color
Purple-red is the most sought after color for rhodolite.
Lighting
The color and brilliance of rhodolite garnet comes alive best in daylight.
Clarity
Rhodolite garnet is transparent, often inclusion free. One should search for no less than an "eye clean" stone.
Cut
Due to its hardness and composition rhodolite garnet comes in a variety of cuts and shapes. Rhodolite Garnet location and deposits
Deposits are found in Brazil, India, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Thailand and the USA {North Carolina). Common Rhodolite Garnet treatments
Rhodolite garnet is not artificially enhanced in any way. World-famous Rhodolite Garnet
At the auction of the Estate of Jacqueline Kennedy-Onassis at Sotheby's on April 24, 1996, a striking cabochon garnet flower brooch from the 19th century was sold for $145,000. In the same year a university student unearthed in central Australia what is believed to be the largest single garnet find ever. This giant rough is thought to weight thousands of tons and measures nearly a hundred feet across. Rhodolite Garnet gemology
The composition of rhodolite is situated between almandite (almandine) and pyrope. Although each stone varies slightly, the mixture is roughly about 55 percent pyrope and 37 percent almandite, along with other elements. Almandine Garnet gemology
Species: Garnet
Color: Red with violent tint
Chemical composition: Fe3Ai2 (Sio4)3 iron, aluminum, silicate
Crystal system: (Cubic), rhombic dodecahedron, icons tetrahedron
Hardness: 6.5 - 7.5 (Mohs scale)
Specific gravity: 3.93 - 4.30
Refractive index: 1.770 - 1.820
Birefringence: Normally none
Optical character: Isometric.
Color of streak: White
Absorption spectrum: 617, 576, 526, 505, 476, 462, 438, 428, 404, 393
Fluorescence: Mostly none Pyrope Garnet gemology
Species: Garnet
Color: Red, frequently with brown tint
Chemical composition: Mg3Al2(SiO4)3 magnesium aluminum silicate
Crystal system: (Cubic) rhombi dodecahedron, icositetrahedron
Hardness: 6.5-7.5 (Mohs scale)
Specific gravity: 3.62 - 3.87
Refractive index: 1.720 -1.756
Birefringence: Normally none
Color of streak: White,
Absorption spectrum: 687, 685, 671, 650, 620, 520, 505
Fluorescence: Mostly none The Rhodolite Garnet zodiac, myth & legend
Garnets have been widely known for thousands of years. Even Noah, it is reported, used a lantern from garnet in order to safely steer his Ark through the darkness of the night. Garnets are found in jewelry from ancient Egyptian, Greek and Roman eras. Many courageous discoverers and travelers wore garnets for protection, as they were considered popular talismans and protective stones, because it was believed in those days that garnets illuminate the night and prevent their wearer from any sort of evil. Garnet is the birthstone for those who are born in January. In Antiquity, as well as in the Middle Ages people believed that the cosmos is reflected in gemstones. Garnet is assigned to the planets Mars, Mercury and Pluto. The esoteric movement revived the ancient belief and the gem industry made it another marketing tool to promote certain gems. The healing powers of gems remain a controversial issue, but are mentioned for centuries by healers, shamans and medicine men. Whether it's a fact or a placebo effect doesn't matter, if it helps. The safest approach is to wear the gemstone in skin contact to the troubled part of the body. Garnet is said to be of help for arthritis, pancreas and varicose veins. |
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