Rhodolite Garnets

Rhodolite garnet is a variant in the garnet family. That is distinguished by its rose to purplish hues, that at times even contains a tinge of red. Garnets are precious stones valued for their colour and reflectivity. Whilst considered to be less valuable in contrast to the precious gems like diamond, rubies and sapphires, over the years garnets have developed a reputation for their beautiful colours and relatively high level of durability: scoring somewhere in the range of 6.5 – 7.5 on the Mohs scale for hardness. Whilst there is the temptation to confuse rhodolite garnets with the deeper red-coloured garnet types; notably, the almandine garnets, which contains darker, deeper red tones. However the rhodolite variant of garnets with their lighter hues, distinguished by their fruity colour tones: tones that at times are mixed with purplish tones carry a unique market demand. Visit the garnet gemstones page to see some of the best garnets for your jewellery. In this post, you learn about the character of the rhodolite variety of garnets, why they matter in the world of gemstones.

The Character of Garnets

Before we get to the rhodolite variant of garnets, it is best to start with what garnets are. Garnets are a group of silicate minerals, that are united in certain key properties and their crystal character. However, they differ in other characteristics that break down the group into species and varieties. Garnet species differ in accordance with their main colour types, which are determined by their chemical character. However, these break down further into garnet varieties, which are colour variants that are found in the same family hues (green, darker green). Those who are sought for their commercial and luxurious character are only a handful. Since the differences between garnet varieties like in their chemical character, this means that garnets, unlike gemstones like sapphires, vary from the type of garnet in question. The chemical character and hence the colour of the gemstone affecting attributes of the gemstones like gravity and hardness. Corresponding to the various chemical character of the garnets, these gemstones also differ in terms of colour. Besides the popular red variant, garnets are also found in colours as varied as purple, green, orange, pink to even the colourless variety.

What makes Rhodolite Garnets Different?

Rhodolite garnets are a commercially recognized variant in the garnet family, known for its red-purplish colour tone is not officially recognised as a mineralogical term, although it has become an established trade name for this premium garnet colour. The chemical composition for rhodolite garnets is: (Mg, Fe)3Al2(SiO4)3. In the market for red garnets, the rhodolite variants are the finest owing to their unique and chemical character. The rhodolite garnet emerges as a result combination of two red garnet varieties: almandine and pyrope; which gives rise to its unique colour. Whilst rhodolites find themselves in the top-tier of the commercially available garnet varieties, they are price competitive and hence are found at affordable rates. Rhodolite garnets owing to their variety of colours in the red, purplish-red, deep pink range in some respects correspond to the colours of nature, corresponding to flowers and fruits that fall on the pink to red to purplish hues. The board spectrum colours and wider choice found in this variety of stone, and cheaper price makes rhodolite garnets a solid choice.

A Quick History of Rhodolite Garnets

Whilst garnets have been around thousands of years, with their widespread use in ancient Egyptian, Roman and Greek culture. This specific variety of garnets arrived on the scene only much later. A good start in understanding the origins of the rhodolite garnet is its name. Rhodolite garnets are connected with the U.S State of Rhode Island. Sometime in the 1890s in the State of North Carolina, a Rhode Island mineralogist named William Earl Hidden discovered rhodolite mineral in the gem-rich Cowee Valley, North Carolina. Whilst America is not In more recent times, as the popularity and later demand for garnets grew, particularly this rose-purplish red variety grew, new deposits were found in countries as far apart as Brazil, Mozambique, the United States, and even Greenland. However, arguably the most beautiful variety of these gemstones are being sourced from the gem rich regions of the world: in countries like Tanzania, Sri Lanka.

^{rough rhodolite garnet batch and few stones from the batch after cutting and polishing}

Colour in Rhodolite Garnets

The rhodolite garnet types distinguish themselves in the colour spectrum owing to their presence in a certain range of hues in the red-pink-purple range. Hence the process of describing the colour in this variant of garnet gemstone is not direct. As there has been some debate on accurately describing the colour of this variety the gemstone in the garnet family. Which is that is sort of the point of this post: Since there is no fixed colour tones in the rhodolite garnet family, the hues, whilst similar, tend to differ in various and subtle ways. The study of colour in gemstones are often simplified by their comparison to real-world objects and things in the natural world. For example, in the manner how certain sapphire variants are compared to cornflowers, rhodolite garnets are compared to raspberries, the delicious fruit, where the colour is found in a spectrum of similar hues. Certain rhodolite stones carry darker hues in the red to the purplish range and tend to be more valuable depending on other factors. Interestingly, like sapphires, another gemstone that is valuable for its colour, rhodolite garnets get their colours owing to the presence of elements like iron and chromium that contributes to varied colours.

Garnets a Challenger to the Dominance of Red Rubies?

In the world of red gemstones, at the top, we find the precious ruby. Long considered to be amongst the top precious stone varieties, rubies hold as the go-to choice when it comes to red gemstones. However, given the rarity of rubies, which are a red variant of the corundum mineral, and the higher prices that these gemstones command, the need for a solid competitor, one that commands a high degree of visual appeal, with a degree of hardness and is more accessible for those seeking a valuable gemstone garnets are becoming an appealing choice. This is a subject that is worth pursuing in greater detail in the future, however, the similarities in the base characteristics of these two gemstones in terms of the hue, tone, and vividity of the colour, points to the possibility that garnets could potentially become a challenger to the dominance of red gemstones. Whilst rubies will always hold a special position in the world of gemstones, one must understand that in the world of gemstones a key determinant value is not always the type of gemstone (e.g. diamond, sapphire, ruby). But it also comes down to the character of the stone: its rough state, its natural colour, the type of cut, the quality of the cut (not the same thing). And in the case of fine jewellery, how the gemstone has been mounted and how it works with other elements of the jewel. So when it comes to seeking a top red gemstone competitor for the precious ruby, then this would come down to the quality of the rhodolite gemstone. Good quality garnets are well suitable for engagement rings as well. One good metric when it comes to picking fine jewellery quality rhodolite is to look for the stone’s country of origin. This brings us to the next key point: the country of origin. 

Location for Top Quality Rhodolite Garnets: Ceylon (Sri Lanka)

The island of Ceylon has built itself a reputation as a land that is rich in gemstones, and its prominence is often associated with one particular gem: the precious sapphire. As a country that is blessed with the king of geography that facilitates the discovery and mining of this particular variety of gems, to a point where the sheer wealth of its resources per land, the Island nation in the Indian Ocean is arguably the most abundant source for natural sapphires in the world. So it is quite natural that much of the attention when it comes to Ceylon gemstones has centred on sapphires, notably the lustrous blue sapphire gemstone. However, as a country that is located in a geologically favourable region, with a natural environment that favours the emergence and discovery of gemstones of a great variety, it is not a surprise that garnets are also now being unearthed in greater quantity. Regions like the Elahera becoming a major source of pink garnets.