What is the most well behaved garnet?

[fredflintstone]

Here's a couple more pics of the grape garnet, you can see it blacks out in sunlight (which doesn't work for me as I'm very outdoorsy lol, others may be okay with that). It's not as bad irl as in the pics but you get the idea. Last pic is in shade, it's still purple and not black completely but far from the ideal color it can have.

Many stones blackout in direct sunlight, much more than don't. They light overwhelms them.

Grape Garnets = Umbalite Pyrope/Almadine/Spessartite (but many times Rhodolite is called Umbalite too) mix, are normally medium dark in tone, though there were some exceptional Mozambique stones that were violetish purple and were medium light in tone even above three carats. These have largely disappeared from the market. These look good in sunlight. There is also purple pryrope/almadine garnets too.

In general, lighter tone (medium light and lighter) stones but not always fair better in direct sunlight. Medium tone stones can look good too if there is enough fluoresces in them.

Purple/magenta Rhodolite looks good in sunlight as the bright magenta color shift is under sunlight while the grape purple shift is under LED light and some others.

Cut has a lot to do with a stone blacking out or not in direct sunlight. I’ve seen light toned stones blackout in sunlight as the cut was to deep. Zircons can be very prone to this, especially pinks.

 

[PrecisionGem]

Many stones blackout in direct sunlight, much more than don't. They light overwhelms them.

Grape Garnets = Umbalite Pyrope/Almadine/Spessartite (but many times Rhodolite is called Umbalite too) mix, are normally medium dark in tone, though there were some exceptional Mozambique stones that were violetish purple and were medium light in tone even above three carats. These have largely disappeared from the market. These look good in sunlight. There is also purple pryrope/almadine garnets too.

In general, lighter tone (medium light and lighter) stones but not always fair better in direct sunlight. Medium tone stones can look good too if there is enough fluoresces in them.

Purple/magenta Rhodolite looks good in sunlight as the bright magenta color shift is under sunlight while the grape purple shift is under LED light and some others.

Cut has a lot to do with a stone blacking out or not in direct sunlight. I’ve seen light toned stones blackout in sunlight as the cut was to deep. Zircons can be very prone to this, especially pinks.

Direct sunlight is not really the way to judge a stone. I think the blacking out maybe you eye can't handle the intense contrast. Normally when viewing a stone in sunlight, you would turn you back to the sun so that the stone is not in direct sunlight but shaded. When in Tucson working with members of the trade we are always taking stones from one type of light source to anther, and often outside, but not in direct sun.

 

[fredflintstone]

Direct sunlight is not really the way to judge a stone. I think the blacking out maybe you eye can't handle the intense contrast. Normally when viewing a stone in sunlight, you would turn you back to the sun so that the stone is not in direct sunlight but shaded. When in Tucson working with members of the trade we are always taking stones from one type of light source to anther, and often outside, but not in direct sun.

Yes, I do turn my back to the sunlight. Though you could be right, it is in the eyes.

I never judge a stone by direct sunlight. It might help if it looks good too in direct sunlight, but never just by direct sunlight.

When I sold stones, I’d always take pictures and video in shaded sunlight or on a cloudy to partly cloudy day, in other words, not direct sunlight, but I would sometimes do direct sunlight with the stones that loved basking in the light.

People put too much credence in what a stone looks like in sunlight, after all, most will be wearing their stones in artificial light or mixed natural and artificial light, but it is nice to have a stone that looks good in both lights, but that just is not normally the case.

 

[Eli22]

This is an interesting convo and solidifies my need (want) for a spess!

I have these garnets that behave differently under various light sources:

https://imgur.com/a/2AlqFA3

 

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

Yes, I do turn my back to the sunlight.

I never judge a stone by direct sunlight.

When I sold stones, I’d always take pictures and video in shaded sunlight or on a cloudy to partly cloudy day, in other words, not direct sunlight, but I would sometimes do direct sunlight with the stones that loved basking in the light.

People put too much credence in what a stone looks like in sunlight, after all, most will be wearing their stones in artificial light or mixed natural and artificial light, but it is nice to have a stone that looks good in both lights, but that just is not normally the case.

Great to hear Fred.
This is especially important for gems that fluoresce strongly, like Burmese ruby.
There is enough bouncing around UV in shaded daylight to get the effect, or even daylight through a window. But again not direct sunlight.
This is also true for diamonds both none and fluorescent. They go darker in direct sunlight as the cut quality improves, therefore being counter intuitive and shocking many people who worked hard to get a better cut. It is actually hard to see the fluoro effect on a diamond in direct sunlight! Mostly it is just the blue from the sky!
Re photography, also in 100% agreement. However these days most photograpghy is done with LED lights which reduces the pop for fluorescent gems.

 

[CaseyLouLou]

My mint garnet behaves really well in most lighting.

 

[Neptune]

@Starstruck8 what a shudderingly attractive collection!
@Neptune i never tire of seeing your gorgeous Boodles ring!

Thanks for the kind words. I’m afraid that it’s not by Boodles. They definitely have fantastic designs and craftsmanship.

 

[ShinyPink]

@mellowyellowgirl I'm happy he's still enjoying his treasure! It makes me smile.

I have oodles of garnets. (About 30, according to my spreadsheet.) It's my birthstone, so that's my excuse.

Anyhoo, Loliondo spess are crazy! They light up like fire, especially with a precision cut. My purples are meh. I have a lovely one from Jeff White, but the lighting has to be perfect. When that occurs, it is stunning!
My greens almost always look great. Of course, a good cut helps. I do love their color!
A favorite of mine was a Mahenge cut by @PrecisionGem It makes me swoon! It's red, so you'd expect it to misbehave, but due to the beautiful cutting, it is a good girl!
I have a large rhodolite that requires a lot of light shining all over it to look good. It's a prima donna.

Picture book version, without greens as I have crap photos:
Loliondo spess:


Jeff White purple:
VS

Mahenge from Gene:


Rhodolite/prima donna: I don't have a good picture of it in the light.

 

[T L]

Orange spessartite are the most underrated garnets. Here’s my spessartite pear I’ve had for around 20 years, and it literally glows on an overcast day. Next to it is my Namibian demantoid, and you can see it’s high RI, but the color doesn’t glow. It’s pretty in the sun and under artificial lighting.

 

[Starstruck8]

Orange spessartite are the most underrated garnets. Here’s my spessartite pear I’ve had for around 20 years, and it literally glows on an overcast day. Next to it is my Namibian demantoid, and you can see it’s high RI, but the color doesn’t glow. It’s pretty in the sun and under artificial lighting.

What beautiful rings!

My experience matches yours. My orange spessartites (pictured upthread) are perfect 'cloudy day' stones. But I haven't done so well with demantoids. This one, just as you say, is beautifully sparkly, but doesn't glow. (The yellow stones are sapphires.) No doubt I just don't have the right demantoids. But neon-y tsavorites seem much easier to find than neon-y demantoids.

 

[Neptune]

Orange spessartite ... literally glows on an overcast day.

+1

 

[T L]

What beautiful rings!

My experience matches yours. My orange spessartites (pictured upthread) are perfect 'cloudy day' stones. But I haven't done so well with demantoids. This one, just as you say, is beautifully sparkly, but doesn't glow. (The yellow stones are sapphires.) No doubt I just don't have the right demantoids. But neon-y tsavorites seem much easier to find than neon-y demantoids.

Took this pic last night under led lights. My demantoid sparkled like a Diamond, but the mint garnet just glowed a vibrant color.

My camera couldn’t get the sparkle or vibrant colors right, but I love demantoid, for the same reason I love FCD’s., sparkle!!!

 

[T L]

Behaving, but hard to get the sparkle in focus. You can only see it in unfocused photos. I love how the color looks with lavender spinel. Wish I could surround it with lavender spinels.

 

[T L]

Much better picture with my husband’s better iPhone camera. It’s like a mini galaxy of stars when it sparkles.



Blue flashes


Red flashes

 

[shelovesinclusions]

My hessonite holds it's color most of the time. When I lived where there was less sun, I loved it indoors, had a flamin' hot cheeto effect looking really red. It isn't the greatest cut, and goes extinct in the center, but it's not too noticeable unless in direct light. For a $50 stone, it makes me happy.