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| Garnet : The Gem For All Season |
This birth stone for January , found all over the world in a
variety and in different colors, is the most versatile stone
on the market , having been mined for thousands of years with
the discovery of new deposits in the last decade.
It actually is part of the family
of gems that includes the following and combinations among them.
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(a) Rhodolite - One
of the most popular types, pink to purplish red , mined in Africa.
(b) Malaya - Orange to gold in color, found in Tanzania and Kenya.
(c) Demantoid - Of Russian origin, quite rare, costing higher
with larger size and finer quality .
(d) Tsavorite - Of Russian origin, quite rare, costing higher
with larger size and finer quality .
(e) Grossular - Available in pinks, greens and yellows .
(f) Hessonite - Mostly come in golds, oranges and browns.
(g) Spessatite - Mostly come in golds, oranges and browns.
(h) Mandarin - A bright orange type of spessartite.
(i) Almandine - The most common and affordable type .
(j) Pyrope - The most common and affordable type
.
The brighter the colors of garnet, usually the higher the price.
Larger stones are found only in the more common types, being
scarce in more valuable types such as tsavorites and demantoids
.
Hardness of garnet on the Mohs scale ranging from 6 to 7, the
gem easily gets nicked or cracked by impacts .
With garnet, it is proper to use warm soapy water and a soft
brush for cleaning purpose. It is also safe, except for demantoid,
to apply ultrasonic cleaning.
Steam cleaning is to be avoided, however. The gem serves as
an ideal gift for couples celebrating their second wedding anniversary.
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