Pyrope Garnet?

[gemnut]

I know next to nothing about garnets, but when I saw this ring I instantly fell in love with it. Every time I passed by the jeweler''s window I''d spend a few minutes admiring it. It is an one-of-a-kind and every time I would be afraid that the next time the ring would be sold. Considering that I''m broke lately, I had given up hope that I would be able to buy it before it was sold. Imagine how happy I was when on our recent wedding anniversary, hubby asked me if there was a ring I wanted! I didn''t have to think twice... I KNEW what I wanted!
To make a long story short, I''m now the proud owner of this ring and I have taken a sudden interest in garnets. There seem to be various reds of this stone and I''m not reall sure what I got, especially since the jeweler could only identify it as a "red garnet".
I''m posting a picture, hoping someone here will recognize it and give me a name for it. The picture doesn''t do it justice, there is a lot of life in this stone, flashing bright reds when it''s moved. I''m guessing "pyrope" because it is a very rich, dark color but what do I know?

 

[Richard M.]

Hi Gemnut,

I''m interested in garnets and have been studying them for several years -- there''s a lot to study! Instead of worrying about attaching a particular name to your gem, my advice is to love it and enjoy it for the pleasure it brings you.

There are many kinds of pink-red-purplish garnets: pyropes, chrome pyropes, almandines, pyrope-almandine combinations, pyrope-spessartites, pyrope-almandine-spessartites and onward. Most jewelers incorrectly call any red garnet by the catch-all name "rhodolite," even though according to GIA rhodolites have rather specific characteristics, a violet-purplish hue being one of them.

The only thing I''d guess from your image is that your stone has some spessartite content, judging from the orange flash in the image (if the color''s accurate). The other species present probably include pyrope and almandine: garnets love to ''mix it up," combining with one another through a complicated process known as isomorphous replacement. Don''t worry it: the stone is beautiful and pleases you, that''s all that really matters.

Richard M.

 

[Kaleigh]

It''s a beautiful stone!!! Take some more pics for us!!! I love garnets too.

 

[diamondfan]

Oh, I love a happy ending to a gem story!! That is great that you have admired it and now it is yours, that an occasion presented itself and you got a present!!! I am really happy for you.

 

[Harriet]

Congratulations!

 

[innerkitten]

It does have a lovely sparkle and it''s a good setting for that shape of stone. Can we see more pics?

 

[twodoor2]

You have great taste!!! Beautiful trillion cut and color.

 

[kcoursolle]

Beautiful ring!!!

 

[gemnut]

The only thing I''d guess from your image is that your stone has some spessartite content, judging from the orange flash in the image (if the color''s accurate). The other species present probably include pyrope and almandine: garnets love to ''mix it up," combining with one another through a complicated process known as isomorphous replacement.

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Thank you so much for your response, Richard.
It''s not the NAME of the stone that really concerns me, but that bit of information you gave me above is priceless! I had no idea that garnets "mix it up"!! Now I REALLY want to learn more about garnets!

 

[gemnut]

OK, I''m not a hand model and I''m kind of embarassed about my fat hands, but the only way you can really understand this ring is if you see it worn. So here goes one more picture of "my precious"

 

[Catmom]

Gemnut, it''s a gorgeous stone and I can see why you are so attracted to it. Is there any way you can get a close up of the ring so that we can see more of the details?

 

[Richard M.]

Date: 5/19/2007 1:57:34 AM
Author: gemnut
Thank you so much for your response, Richard.

It''s not the NAME of the stone that really concerns me, but that bit of information you gave me above is priceless! I had no idea that garnets ''mix it up''!! Now I REALLY want to learn more about garnets!

One of the best explanations of this process I''ve found is at http://www.yourgemologist.com/IsomorphousReplacement/isomorphous.html

Each garnet species is determined by its chemical makeup. For instance, pyrope is a magnesium garnet, spessartite is manganese, almandine is iron, etc. But they are never pure, and always contain various amounts of other garnet species. The many hues of garnets are caused by the amounts and numbers of species present in a single crystal. That also makes them extremely difficult to identify because they don''t have constant gemological properties (refractive index, specific gravity, spectrum, etc.)

That''s why so many trade names relating to well-known colors, are often used, i.e., grape garnet, tangerine garnet, sunkist garnet, mandarin garnet, raspberry rhodolite, cranberry, indigo -- even rhodolite, which combines the Greek words for "rose" and "stone." They convey color but don''t tell you anything about the actual makeup of the garnet.

Richard M.

 

[gemnut]

Absolutely fascinating reading, Richard!

Thank you sooo much!

 

[gemnut]

Hi Catmom

I''m not a very good photographer and this is the best close up I could get of the ring. It still doesn''t say much in comparison with the reality of this sparkling stone.
Oh, if you want more details, the garnet is 6.5 cts, the diamonds are 60 (I think) FVVS1 at 0.33 cts and the metal is palladium white gold 18K
Enjoy!

 

[ger100]

Beautiful ring. I love the cut.

Glad you asked the question about garnets. They''re supposedly one of the most popular stones. I am also fascinated with them, said to come in all colors except blue...kewl or what?

Richard M: Super link about garnets. Really helpful!

Thanks, Ger.