A Complete Guide to Buying a Garnet Stone
Introduction What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word garnet? For most people, the garnet is an old-fashioned red gemstone that imitates a ruby. But, garnet comes in a variety of colors; it is a gemstone in its own right and can be very trendy and cool… A well-chosen garnet can dress up any outfit, whether casual or formal. It makes for a fantastic addition to your jewelry collection and gives that perfect pop of color when needed. It can be somewhat confusing to buy garnet stone considering the variety the gemstone is available in the market. This garnet buying guide will definitely help you to buy the best and perfect garnet for you or for your loved ones. If you feel inspired, you can visit any jewelry store to find the most suitable garnet at the most affordable price.
What is a garnet? Garnets are a species of the gemstone. They are not composed of a single mineral but are a group of closely related minerals that come in a variety of colors and chemical compositions. The name ‘garnet’ comes from an old Latin word granatum, which means dark red. Another connotation of the color red is that its granular form resembles the seeds of a pomegranate. When you go shopping for garnets, bear in mind that there is not one but many types of garnets in the market. Egyptians used to wear red garnet pieces many years ago. It's even referred to as the "sign of life" by the Egyptians. The garnet gemstone was very popular with the Romans in the third and fourth centuries.
What to look for when buying a garnet? What a garnet buying guide be without mentioning the 4Cs! For evaluating a gemstone, the four Cs— color, clarity, cut, and carat weight—are the prime & significant factors. Examine a garnet gemstone based on these parameters before buying it. ●
Color of the Garnet
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Cut off the Garnet
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Clarity of the Garnet
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Carat Weight of the Garnet
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Varieties of garnets
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Grossularite (Tsavorite and Hessonite)
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Care & Cleaning
1. Color of the Garnet Color is the most important factor in determining the quality of a garnet. The color must be evenly saturated in a stone. Garnets are available in a variety of colors, including red, burgundy, orange, brown, and green. With a few exceptions, such as the dazzling green types, vibrant red garnets are more precious than others. Garnets also come in a variety of color-changing kinds that change color based on the sort of light they are exposed to. In the daytime, certain garnets appear green, beige, or grey, but when examined under incandescent light, they turn red or purplish pink.
2. Cut off the Garnet Garnets are usually cut and shaped in common forms so that they can be easily placed into jewelry. For example, Tsavorite and demantoid are uncommon precious garnets that are cut into shapes that maintain the majority of their carat weight. For example, the existence of visible inclusions can reduce the price of a Tsavorite Garnet in a faceted stone by almost half.
3. Clarity of the Garnet Generally, Garnets are clear stones. They have a glossy sheen and are translucent. Eye-visible inclusions are rare in red garnets such as almandine. On the other hand, orange garnets such as spessartine and hessonite often have inclusions. However, sometimes these inclusions can create a star effect called asterism which is treasured for its rarity. This is one of those cases where a flaw becomes a coveted feature. The garnet with more clarity will be priced the maximum as well. Garnets of exceptional clarity can be discovered in the huge repository carried by experts. The clearer the gemstone the more dazzling your ring or pendant.
4. Carat Weight of the Garnet Garnets come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Because uncommon species such as demantoid and tsavorite come in smaller sizes, their value rises considerably as the carat size increases. However, common types like almandines come in relatively larger sizes than others. The next item in our garnet buying guide is to give you a brief idea about the varieties of gemstones that you may like to consider before making a purchase.
5. Varieties of garnets Garnets are classified under more than twenty categories called species, but only five are commercially important as gems. Those five are pyrope, almandine (also called almandite), spessartine, grossular (grossularite), and andradite. The most famous and trending garnets are Hessonite and Tsavorite which are detailed hereunder.
6. Grossularite (Tsavorite and Hessonite) Garnets are classified under more than twenty categories called species, but only five are commercially important as gems. Those five are pyrope, almandine (also called almandite), spessartine, grossular (grossularite), and andradite. The most famous and trending garnets are Hessonite and Tsavorite which are detailed hereunder.
7. Care & Cleaning ●
Garnets are very easy to purchase and maintain. Here are some tips to take care of your garnets.
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Garnet jewelry is best cleaned with warm, sudsy water and a tightly woven microfiber or other soft cloth.
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Use a mild soap and water solution to clean the setting.
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Rinse with clean water and wipe it clean.
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Steam cleaning is not recommended.
I hope this guide will helps you to buy best garnet jewelry like hessonite garnet rings