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Garnet
Garnet is not a single mineral, but rather a group of
similar minerals known as the "garnet group."
All the natural garnets are complex silicates that differ
in chemical composition, but have almost identical atomic
structures. Garnets are not only red; they may be orange,
yellow, brown, pale green, deep green, violet, purple,
or even colorless.
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Garnet
is a truly ancient gem, known thousands of years before
the birth of Christ. In those early days of civilization
garnet, along with other gems, was known as "carbuncle."
Although this term was generally applied to any red
gem, today only red cabochon-cut garnets are called
carbuncles. |
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As
with most other stones, garnets were considered to have great
curative powers, especially against fevers. The wearer of
a garnet was supposed to be protected in his travels and kept
in good health. The name "garnet" comes from the
Latin word "granatus," meaning "like seeds,"
because garnets in a rock look somewhat like the seeds in
a pomegranate.
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Garnet |
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Victorian era made extensive use of reddish garnets
mined in Bohemia (now Czechoslovakia). These became
quite popular and were widely used in low-cost
jewelry, thus popularizing garnet as a gem and,Unfortunately,
cheapening its image. Reddish-brown garnets are
still very inexpensive, although red, violet,
and purple gems can be fairly costly, especially
in larger sizes.
Garnet, with its large range of colors, is perhaps
the most underrated all gems. Nearly all the garnet
species have gem potential. They are all about
the same hardness, 6'/z-7'/s on the Mohs scale,
and none show cleavage, thus making them suitable
for any type of jewelry. Cut garnets an be very
brilliant and show rich, lovely colors that look
good both in light and in artificial light.
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There
are basically six major garnet species:Pyrope
is usually blood-red in color, sometimes with
a tinge of purple or -brown. Finer grades may
resemble ruby. Most pyropes have some inclusions,
and fine gem material is scarce, especially rough
that will provide large cut gems. Such material
is known from only a few localities. The U.S.S.R.
is a source of magnificent gemstones. |
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Good
pyrope is associated with the diamond in South African kimberlite
otpes. Brazil and Australia have produced good stones, and
pyrope has been found in the United States in Arizona, Colorado,
and New Mexico. Almandine today satisfies world demand for
an inexpensive red gem¬-- me. Almandine is the most common
garnet seen in jewelry. Its ,colorranges from dark red to
brownish-red.
The
finer grades are almost indistinguishable at sight from pyrope.
Good gem material comes from Sri Lanka, India, Brazil, Alaska,
and Africa. |
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