Are Mahenge garnets really this good?!

[Mreader]

Alex from Premier has had a few garnets like this:

Alex Weber - in NC, USA on Instagram: "Edit: sold out MB - An absolute firecracker in the sunlight! A top color Mahenge garnet weighing 2.57 carats. When the color is like this (super rare) these stones eat up the unlike many colored gems. This is

734 likes, 15 comments - premiergemstones on May 28, 2022: "Edit: sold out MB - An absolute firecracker in the sunlight! A top color Mahenge garnet weighing 2.57 carats. When the color is like this (super rare) these stones eat up the unlike many colored gems. This is why I say these top...

www.instagram.com

And I’m drooling over them!! My question is does anyone have any and are they really that good??? Or is it IG magic? They seem to have so much fire not just color and I’m tempted by them if another comes up. I have pink sapphires and tourmaline so wouldn’t necessarily want another pink gem unless it sparkles like this!

 

[CBianco]

Following. I'm very curious as well, do they look like that IRL and how they perform in not so great lighting conditions. If anyone owns a mahenge garnet please share!

 

[thirdrock]

I have a Mahenge garnet. It’s better in real life than any photo I’ve managed to take. These photos are the closest I have to what I see with my eyes but fall short of reality. There’s a ton of sparkle and brilliance, I think more so than fire.

 

[Nosean]

Yes, they are.

Esp. the lighter color are rare and very fine.

 

[T L]

I saw some at the last gem show. I think some dealers are calling any rhodolite a mahenge, so be careful. A lighter toned, not overly dark, pink garnet is what you’re looking for, regardless of where it’s from. You also need to be careful about color shifting. Pink spinel is also another similar looking gem. Pink tourmaline has a lower RI.

 

[Nosean]

I saw some at the last gem show. I think some dealers are calling any rhodolite a mahenge, so be careful. A lighter toned, not overly dark, pink garnet is what you’re looking for, regardless of where it’s from. You also need to be careful about color shifting. Pink spinel is also another similar looking gem. Pink tourmaline has a lower RI.

Rhodolite is a pyrope-almandine mix. These garnet are a combination of spessartine and pyrope. Using a small neodym magnet they show a stronger reaction than rhodolite.

Malaya Garnet

Malaya Garnet is a variety of Garnet with unusual color or appearance, ususally a variety of Pyrope. This variety has a broad range of color, from pink to orange.

www.gemstonemagnetism.com

I agree with you - there a many „new“ varieties of garnet in the market. Most are well known combinations of pyrope, spessartine and almandine with fantasy named.

 

[Mreader]

I have a Mahenge garnet. It’s better in real life than any photo I’ve managed to take. These photos are the closest I have to what I see with my eyes but fall short of reality. There’s a ton of sparkle and brilliance, I think more so than fire.

Beautiful! Do you plan to set it?

 

[thirdrock]

Beautiful! Do you plan to set it?

Thank you! Yes, I plan on using it in a ring setting.

 

[Autumn in New England]

I have a Mahenge garnet. It’s better in real life than any photo I’ve managed to take. These photos are the closest I have to what I see with my eyes but fall short of reality. There’s a ton of sparkle and brilliance, I think more so than fire.

I remember loving this stone... still do!

 

[CaseyLouLou]

Alex from Premier has had a few garnets like this:

Alex Weber - in NC, USA on Instagram: "Edit: sold out MB - An absolute firecracker in the sunlight! A top color Mahenge garnet weighing 2.57 carats. When the color is like this (super rare) these stones eat up the unlike many colored gems. This is

734 likes, 15 comments - premiergemstones on May 28, 2022: "Edit: sold out MB - An absolute firecracker in the sunlight! A top color Mahenge garnet weighing 2.57 carats. When the color is like this (super rare) these stones eat up the unlike many colored gems. This is why I say these top...

www.instagram.com

And I’m drooling over them!! My question is does anyone have any and are they really that good??? Or is it IG magic? They seem to have so much fire not just color and I’m tempted by them if another comes up. I have pink sapphires and tourmaline so wouldn’t necessarily want another pink gem unless it sparkles like this!

I have been wondering this too. It seems that these lighter, pastel garnets are fiery and sparkly but who knows. Given the price I would rather have a spinel that color because of the hardness.

 

[fredflintstone]

One word - "Hype."

 

[T L]

I have been wondering this too. It seems that these lighter, pastel garnets are fiery and sparkly but who knows. Given the price I would rather have a spinel that color because of the hardness.

Red/pink garnets have definitely increased a great deal in price recently. They do not have fluorescence like some pink/red spinels, but I do think they’ve been under appreciated next to their green cousins, for eons.

It is difficult to find ones that are not overly dark in sizes larger than two carats, from my experience.

 

[CaseyLouLou]

One word - "Hype."

Yeah, that’s what I was thinking too. There are other options for that color.

 

[fredflintstone]

Yeah, that’s what I was thinking too. There are other options for that color.

They are just Malaia Garnets with a name attached. Malaia's can be axpensive, but put the name Mahange on them & increase it by 50% or even much more.

Most Malaia's on the market come from Tanzania anyway. Another origin name brand to take your money.

 

[thirdrock]

I agree that gemstones should be judged individually and not purchased just because of a marketing name or location. I think Mahenge garnets are sought after because the percentage of nice color and clarity stones is higher than average in that area.

Here’s a link to a discussion about Mahenge and Malaya garnets.

Ever wonder why Mahenge garnets are so prized (and pricey)? Here’s a side-by-side of a more typical Malaya garnet and a Malaya garnet from Mahenge. See comments for explanation! Left: Malaya, 6.0mm, 1.44ct, “Marigold”, $175 + SH. Right: Mahenge, 5.5mm, 0.94ct, “Jonquil”, $200 + SH. : Shinypreciousgems (reddit.com)

 

[fredflintstone]

I agree that gemstones should be judged individually and not purchased just because of a marketing name or location. I think Mahenge garnets are sought after because the percentage of nice color and clarity stones is higher than average in that area.

Here’s a link to a discussion about Mahenge and Malaya garnets.

Ever wonder why Mahenge garnets are so prized (and pricey)? Here’s a side-by-side of a more typical Malaya garnet and a Malaya garnet from Mahenge. See comments for explanation! Left: Malaya, 6.0mm, 1.44ct, “Marigold”, $175 + SH. Right: Mahenge, 5.5mm, 0.94ct, “Jonquil”, $200 + SH. : Shinypreciousgems (reddit.com)

The only problen with this is that any dealer can put "Mahenge" on a sales listing.

How many people are going to get a full origin report on "Mahenge" Garnet. I don't even think it is possible from a lab. Sure is not worth the cost.

Plenty of great Malaia's out there long before the term "Mahenge." Decades before.

 

[NKOTB]

Here are my malayas. Can you tell which is/are mahenge/s? Terrible lighting, does none of them justice…
(Hint: not sure any are. Maybe one?)

 

[CaseyLouLou]

Here are my malayas. Can you tell which is/are mahenge/s? Terrible lighting, does none of them justice…
(Hint: not sure any are. Maybe one?)

I would love to have one like that pale pink. They are all gorgeous.

 

[Autumn in New England]

Here are my malayas. Can you tell which is/are mahenge/s? Terrible lighting, does none of them justice…
(Hint: not sure any are. Maybe one?)

I'm not sure of the origins, but the round on the lower left is my favorite!

 

[NKOTB]

I should do a daytime comparison. The one in the biggest box looks almost medium pink in the photos, but IRL, it looks almost like a light pink diamond (not that I’ve ever seen one that size), and very peachy in the outdoors. I think it’s a mahenge. The one that I knew would be a favourite here is also I *think* from mahenge, from Gene. It’s hardly pink at all, almost fully peach.

I will say that all have great sparkle.

 

[fredflintstone]

Nice stones, no doubt and post!

Malaia's came in all those colors long before the "Mahenge" craze.

A beautiful Malaia is just that, a beautiful Malaia, no matter Tanzania, Kenya or Madagascar.

 

[thirdrock]

I haven’t been seeing much of a price difference on individual stones of similar quality between Malaya and Mahenge garnets.

 

[Mreader]

Here are my malayas. Can you tell which is/are mahenge/s? Terrible lighting, does none of them justice…
(Hint: not sure any are. Maybe one?)

My eye is drawn to the one on the top left

 

[PrecisionGem]

Garnets are tricky, as there are new finds often of garnets that are a mix. Basically garnets fall under:

Spessartine
Pyrope
Almandine
Grossular
Andradite

But then there are mixes of 2 or more of these types. Rhodolite is a mix of pyrope and almandine.

I think the name Mahenge Garnet came from Steve at New Era Gems. He was maybe the first to bring them as rough into Tucson. Often gems are named with the location they are found. (Tsavorite garnet is green garnet found near Tsavo Kenya, Mali Garnets found in Mali Africa etc.) At that time he had a parcel tested and each stone was a little different, but all very attractive. Here are some of reports on these stones and a photo of the rough tested.

 

[PrecisionGem]

 

[PrecisionGem]

These are definitely not rhodolite. Malaya are a mix of Pyrope and Spessartine, but the Mahenge have this mix plus Almandine.

They do tend to be more attractive, and really nice ones almost have a glow. Here is some rough I bought back when they were first found. I don't see that same look in Malaya or Rhodolite.

 

[PrecisionGem]

These are some I cut years ago, and measured the refractive index of each. They are all pretty close but some variance.

 

[Ibrakeforpossums]

Here are my malayas. Can you tell which is/are mahenge/s? Terrible lighting, does none of them justice…
(Hint: not sure any are. Maybe one?)

WOW! Not a loser in the bunch. I'd be thrilled with any one of those.

 

[fredflintstone]

These are definitely not rhodolite. Malaya are a mix of Pyrope and Spessartine, but the Mahenge have this mix plus Almandine.

They do tend to be more attractive, and really nice ones almost have a glow. Here is some rough I bought back when they were first found. I don't see that same look in Malaya or Rhodolite.

No doubt, beautiful Garnets, but all these color can be found in Malaia too. I will say that I thought what was basically a Mahenge Garnet was just a Malaia with a origin name attached, but you wrote Almandine is in the mixture and your typical Malaia Garnets do not have Almandine, at least that I know of. But Garnet is a complicated creature. New ones appear. Malaia can overlap into grossularite, and be similar to Rhodolite. The Africans call them "Malaia" which means out of the family in Swahili.

 

[Mreader]

My eye is drawn to the one on the top left

Edit - I should have said bottom left because I was looking at the attachments and not the full photo. Alex just had another one that was a stunner: https://www.instagram.com/reel/ChJIIOfrxZA/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

But I notice all these are filmed in full sun. @NKOTB would love to see another post of yours! I'm wondering if in office lighting Alex's would look ordinary.