Sharing Pics of my Purple/Pink Garnet

[iluvshinythings]

I love everything about your ring! The garnet is beautiful and the setting is perfect.

If I ever win the lottery there will be a major shortage of garnets!!!

 

[lilmosun]

Thank you iluv...

Marlow -
never come across as a smart a** to me...i laugh and learn at your posts...and if it weren't for you, I probably wouldn't have kept my cuprian tourmaline or bought my mahenge..or my...

My purple/pink wasn't expensive but it may be because Jeff knows me through friends and I've bought other stones from him.

I tried to take some pictures with my cell phone of the blue-green ccg...but when it doesn't seem to want to capture the blue...instead pictures look more violet/grey



This is blue REALLY haha

 

[lilmosun]

And as an FYI - the multicolour stone you helped pick out arrived so I took some pics of it too...thank you

 

[Marlow]

Really a nice change - not to dark!!

The first is awesome - beautiful cut!!

 

[lilmosun]

Yes, I am a big fan of Jeff's work.

 

[JasonTourmaline]

The garnet in this post is a Pyrope Garnet variety ( pastel pyrope). The R.I. Ranges from 1.730-1.1736 from what I have seen. The composition is approx 75% Pyrope, 10% Almandine, 10% spessartine,5 %grossular. Small trace of Vanadium and Chromium. Testing done by Dr Rossman, Gemologist Kirk Feral, and Dr Hoover.

 

[JasonTourmaline]

The R.I. On these are 1.730-1.736 from what I have seen. Comp/ 75% pyrope, 10% almandine,10% spessartine, 5% grossular.

 

[shulaibaoma]

It is a nice color.

 

[minousbijoux]

laughing....from the day I joined, I have to confess that I love your enthusiasm (and knowledge)...contagious! Did you know that I actually went out and bought a chelsea filter after you suggested it on my first post? I never could figure out how to use it

I will try to get some pictures of the blue-green ccg later in the week...but first, you promised to post your ccg

I know, right?!! And he makes it all seem so easy, like "just go measure the refractive index, and then measure the chemical content of the stone because if it has ____element, it means its really rare!!!!" followed by something like "then look at it under microscopic magnification and look for ____inclusions - always a sign that it is from _____!!!!"

We love you, Marlow, or we wouldn't poke fun at you.

 

[LD]

DO NOT PART WITH THAT STONE - EVER!

I've only ever seen one like this before (and I've got it ). When I bought it, I thought it was too good to be true and had to have it checked because I honestly thought it was a synthetic of some sort. It wasn't (thankfully) but I've never seen another like it until I saw your post today! Treasure it!

 

[lilmosun]

Thanks Jason for the info and shula for the compliments (hopefully folks don't mind the use of shortened screen names).

Laughing minous as you echo my thoughts exactly. But I love Marlow too. Actually, while skimming the gibberish to me issue of Spring 2015 Gems & Gemology that Marlow posted, I happened to see a picture of these pastel pyropes...seems like they will be publishing a more detailed report in the summer. Will be interesting to see what they say.

And LD, no worries - this is a keeper as the stone totally fascinates me. I would love to see yours (if you care to share-understand if not). I heard that that mine was from some rough set aside years ago and only recently released? I am kicking myself that I passed on buying another that got offered to me...wasn't expensive but I try to vary my purchases. But I assume prices will be going up (if not already) with awareness.

 

[minousbijoux]

Thanks Jason for the info and shula for the compliments (hopefully folks don't mind the use of shortened screen names).

Laughing minous as you echo my thoughts exactly. But I love Marlow too. Actually, while skimming the gibberish to me issue of Spring 2015 Gems & Gemology that Marlow posted, I happened to see a picture of these pastel pyropes...seems like they will be publishing a more detailed report in the summer. Will be interesting to see what they say.

And LD, no worries - this is a keeper as the stone totally fascinates me. I would love to see yours (if you care to share-understand if not). I heard that that mine was from some rough set aside years ago and only recently released? I am kicking myself that I passed on buying another that got offered to me...wasn't expensive but I try to vary my purchases. But I assume prices will be going up (if not already) with awareness.

You all piqued my curiosity so much that I went in search of the pictures of the pastel pyropes in the issue, but couldn't find them. LMS: can you tell me where the pics were? Thank you!

 

[Lovinggems]

 

[Marlow]

LD - you are wrong!!, Treasure it!!! NOOOOOOOO send it to me!!!!!

JasonTourmaline - thanks for the Info!! An interessting garnet - such a low RI!!

 

[minousbijoux]

LMS: In case my question for you got lost in all of Marlows exclamation points I thought I better ask again - can you point me to the page or section of the most recent issue of Gems and Gemology which has pics of these Pastel garnets? I looked through a few times and I guess I keep missing them because I don't know what I'm looking for, lol! TIA.

 

[lilmosun]

I think it was around pp 88-90..if not, I will look tomorrow night and post.

I would've missed it except I was scrolling to look at pictures.

 

[LD]

Thanks Jason for the info and shula for the compliments (hopefully folks don't mind the use of shortened screen names).

Laughing minous as you echo my thoughts exactly. But I love Marlow too. Actually, while skimming the gibberish to me issue of Spring 2015 Gems & Gemology that Marlow posted, I happened to see a picture of these pastel pyropes...seems like they will be publishing a more detailed report in the summer. Will be interesting to see what they say.

And LD, no worries - this is a keeper as the stone totally fascinates me. I would love to see yours (if you care to share-understand if not). I heard that that mine was from some rough set aside years ago and only recently released? I am kicking myself that I passed on buying another that got offered to me...wasn't expensive but I try to vary my purchases. But I assume prices will be going up (if not already) with awareness.

I bought mine years ago and have never seen one like it. I'm happy to share it of course. I lost most of my photos a while ago when a laptop died on me but I may have some on an old laptop. I'll dig them out (or try to search on here as I think there may be a photo of it somewhere)!

 

[LD]

LD - you are wrong!!, Treasure it!!! NOOOOOOOO send it to me!!!!!

JasonTourmaline - thanks for the Info!! An interessting garnet - such a low RI!!

Nice try Marlow!!!!!

 

[Marlow]

LD - you are so cruel!!

I know this one is dark - but I love it - very unusual color for Bekily!!

http://www.multicolour.com/detail/?/details/color_change_garnet/ycg246ae/&1244716636

 

[LD]

LD - you are so cruel!!

I know this one is dark - but I love it - very unusual color for Bekily!!

http://www.multicolour.com/detail/?/details/color_change_garnet/ycg246ae/&1244716636

I love that stone but when set that'd just be too dark but oh my it'll look yummy at night time!

 

[minousbijoux]

Thank you, LMS. Off to look it up right now.

 

[Marlow]

But isn't that wonderful

http://www.quebulfineminerals.com/en/minerals/item/12133

The fourth and last picture.....

 

[blingbunny10]

But isn't that wonderful

http://www.quebulfineminerals.com/en/minerals/item/12133

The fourth and last picture.....

Very cool! Reminds me of the Death Star....

 

[bling_prism]

And as an FYI - the multicolour stone you helped pick out arrived so I took some pics of it too...thank you

Lilmosun, that's some wonderful strong color change! love it! Do you have any plans for it?

 

[Marlow]

But isn't that wonderful

http://www.quebulfineminerals.com/en/minerals/item/12133

The fourth and last picture.....

Very cool! Reminds me of the Death Star....

 

[BaileyC]

Oh WOW lilmosun! Your garnet ring is fabulous! The colors of that stone are just gorgeous, and the setting allows it to be the star, and boy is it! I like the prongs, too! I can see why you are getting a lot of wear - I would too!!! Love it!

 

[Alnitak]

I just found this thread by chance...and I wish I had seen it earlier to answer some questions. JasonTourmaline stepped in and answered for me, thanks!

This is really neat material. I first saw it in late 2013 in the inventory of gem rough dealer I know well. I grabbed a piece or two and forgot about it as it was being sold as "hot pink" garnet. He had more at the Tucson show in February 2014 and it reminded me of the material I had so when I returned I cut the first one. I was immediately struck by something odd--it shifted color from a hot pink to purple depending on the lighting. I hadn't seen it until I cut the gem and was taking pictures--I photograph gems in a variety of lighting to ensure I represent the color as accurately as possible.

At that point I decided I had to learn more about it and find some more rough. I did some simple testing based on a article written by Dr. D. B. Hoover and several others. They proposed a system of garnet identification/definition that included magnetic susceptibility as an important characteristic. The basic method is to use a specially-calibrated rare-earth magnet and a precision scale system to measure a garnet's magnetic susceptibility. When combined with the RI and specific gravity, these three characteristics can be used to identify a garnet and roughly approximate its composition. Garnets are almost always a mix of several different species and rarely are pure end members.

My work led me to concluded that these were a relatively little-known type of garnet that has been called "pastel pyrope" in the past. The name was originally derived from the color of the first pyropes like this found and was meant to stand in contrast to what people typically think of when thinking of pyrope--the dark reds. These are not dark garnets, although the photo may make it look that way.

I personally knew the gentleman who had originally bought the rough in Africa and I contacted him. On a return trip in early 2014 he purchased the bulk of what remained and I picked up over half a kilo of the best material in sizes ranging from 1-2g. All of this material is included to some extent with rutile needles; the larger material tends to be more included. Later in 2014 several others became interested in this garnet as well (including Jason) and they acquired the bulk of the rough that was still available, including the large material. They have been in contact with GIA and others about this material because it is rather unusual. I have also been in contact with GIA and supplied some rough samples that showed the variety of inclusions found in this material.

It does have a "low" RI for a garnet, with most gems I've cut and tested coming in right around 1.74. The chromophores involved in the color and color-shift effects are chrome and vanadium. I don't consider it a color "change" as the two colors it exhibits are related. A technical definition of color change is when the object exhibits two colors on opposite sides of the color wheel--like a true alexandrite. The amount of shift the material displays varies. Some is very subtle while others are quite significant. Size does seem to play a role, with the larger gems tending to display a stronger shift.

The best material will be a rich purple in fluorescent/LED lighting and even in daylight. In incandescent light it shifts over to a hot pink color reminiscent of the best hot pink tourmaline from Nigeria or California. In mixed lighting and in sunlight it shows a very interesting effect where the purple to purple-pink body of the gem shows flashes of red and blue from the facets. Its really quite striking.

I love garnets so I'm just sitting on most of my rough, slowly cutting a stone or two here and there. This was an old find that had been stashed away for years and thought to be low-grade umbalite garnet (low grade due to the tendency for it to have rutile silk in it). I have seen some random gems show up from some of this rough that dribbled out to the market occasionally over the last two or three decades, but not much. Usually it turned up because someone noticed the color shift. Until somewhat recently garnets were vastly underappreciated so they simply did not get the attention they deserve (IMO). That meant oddities and rarities like this in the past just slipped by unnoticed.

Jeff

 

[Marlow]

Jeff,

try to get this article:

Schmetzer, K., Bernhardt, H., Bosshart, G., Hainschwang, T. (2009) "Colour-Change Garnets from Madagascar: Variation of Chemical, Spectroscopic and Colorimetric Properties". Journal of Gemmology Vol. 31, No. 5-8, pp. 235-282

And yes - a magnet is like a loupe one of the most important tools if you buy rough and cut gems.

I like the homepage of Kirk Feral! I posted it here several times...

East african garnet are crazy stuff. Colorless grossular, pastel grossular ( faint to very light colored yellow, green and brown )
pastel pyrope, colorchanger....

A friend of mine will send many ( small) stones to Sri Lanka - I helped him - some bags with "sapphires" are garnets - ( used a magnet!!)
blue, green, purple, odd colors - most with a color change!! Can't wait to see the cut gems!!

Pale grey ( green) with a change to grayish purplish pink..gorgous!

And def. underrated !!! Unique gems - rare - beautiful -