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ť Spessartite & hessonite... whats the difference?

Spessartite & hessonite... whats the difference?

P: 5/10/2006 8:04:18 PM
innerkitten Ideal Rock Total Posts: 2,923 Last Post: 11/23/2009 Member Since: 8/2/2003	Just curious. I noticed the topic about garnets below and it made me wonder since the two can be pretty close in color. Thanks.
Posted: 5/10/2006 8:04:18 PM

There are 8 replies to this message. There are 8 replies on this page.

P: 5/11/2006 8:45:04 PM
cflutist Ideal Rock Total Posts: 1,370 Last Post: 7/20/2006 Member Since: 7/12/2004	IK, what would you like to know? Hessonite - yellow-orange to reddish orange grossularite, chemical composition Ca3Al2(SiO4)3 Spressartite - yellowish orange to reddish orange, chemical composition Mn3AL2(SiO4)3 Both Singly Refractive Refractive Index: H=1.740 (+.020/-.010) S=1.810 (+.004/-.020) Dispersion: H=.028 S=.027 Specific Gravity: H=3.61 (+.12, -.04) S=4.15 (+.05/-.03) Cause of Color: H=iron S=manganese and some iron Hardness: both 7 to 7.5 Toughness: both fair to good Cleaning Methods: Ultrasonic: Both=usually safe: risky if contains liquid inclusions Steamer: Both=never Warm Soapy Water: Both=safe Stability: Reaction to Heat: Both=abrupt temperature changes likely to cause fracturing Stability to Light: Both=stable Reaction to Chemicals: H=slightly attacked by hydrofluoric acid S=very slowly attacked by hydrofluoric acid
Posted: 5/11/2006 8:45:04 PM

P: 5/11/2006 11:04:25 PM
movie zombie Ideal Rock Total Posts: 5,223 Last Post: 11/25/2009 Member Since: 1/20/2005	InnerKitten, good to see you're still posting! personally, i find the hess to be more golden and often times a golden brown. spess is more orange. both can be in the red tones. if you see them together, you can definitely tell which is which. movie zombie "I don't feel enjoyment watching films that evoke passivity. If you need that kind of comfort, I don't understand why you wouldn't go to a spa." Chan-wook Park
Posted: 5/11/2006 11:04:25 PM

P: 5/11/2006 11:23:24 PM
portoar Ideal Rock Total Posts: 562 Last Post: 2/14/2007 Member Since: 10/16/2005	Ok, now, what is the difference between Mandarine and Spessartite? Is Mandarine just a color type of Spessartite, or it's own variety of garnet? I am so confused about this.
Posted: 5/11/2006 11:23:24 PM

P: 5/12/2006 12:06:04 AM
Richard Sherwood Ideal Rock Total Posts: 4,879 Last Post: 11/23/2009 Member Since: 9/25/2002	Spessartite tends to be a brighter and more pure color than Hessonite, due to it's main coloring agent of magnesium versus the main coloring agent of iron for Hessonite. Iron always subdues the intensity of a hue with either a brownish or grayish mask. Warm colors such as red and orange are subdued with a brown mask, while cool colors such as blue or green are subdued with a gray mask. That's why a Burma, Kashmir or Sri Lankan sapphire "light in iron" will usually appear more vivid than a Thai or Australian sapphire "heavy in iron". The same goes for Hessonite (heavy in iron) verus Spessartite (lighter in iron). Portoar, there are four categories of Spessartite: 1. Spessartite, from sources other than that listed below 2. Spessartite-Mandarin, from Namibia, Africa 3. Spessartite-Nigerian, from Nigeria, Africa 4. Spessartite-Kashmirine, from the Pakistan side of Kashmir Spessartite-Mandarin usually has the most pure hue of orange, and consequently is usually the most expensive. Rich, Independent GG Appraiser Sarasota Gemological Laboratory
Posted: 5/12/2006 12:06:04 AM

P: 5/12/2006 12:28:14 AM
movie zombie Ideal Rock Total Posts: 5,223 Last Post: 11/25/2009 Member Since: 1/20/2005	Date: 5/12/2006 12:06:04 AM Author: Richard Sherwood Spessartite tends to be a brighter and more pure color than Hessonite, due to it's main coloring agent of magnesium versus the main coloring agent of iron for Hessonite. Iron always subdues the intensity of a hue with either a brownish or grayish mask. Warm colors such as red and orange are subdued with a brown mask, while cool colors such as blue or green are subdued with a gray mask. That's why a Burma, Kashmir or Sri Lankan sapphire 'light in iron' will usually appear more vivid than a Thai or Australian sapphire 'heavy in iron'. The same goes for Hessonite (heavy in iron) verus Spessartite (lighter in iron). Portoar, there are four categories of Spessartite: 1. Spessartite, from sources other than that listed below 2. Spessartite-Mandarin, from Namibia, Africa 3. Spessartite-Nigerian, from Nigeria, Africa 4. Spessartite-Kashmirine, from the Pakistan side of Kashmir Spessartite-Mandarin usually has the most pure hue of orange, and consequently is usually the most expensive. and most beautiful, imo! movie zombie "I don't feel enjoyment watching films that evoke passivity. If you need that kind of comfort, I don't understand why you wouldn't go to a spa." Chan-wook Park
Posted: 5/12/2006 12:28:14 AM

P: 5/12/2006 12:56:14 AM
portoar Ideal Rock Total Posts: 562 Last Post: 2/14/2007 Member Since: 10/16/2005	Thanks for clarifying -- so if it's from Namibia, it's Mandarin? I have never seen one of these (or indeed any spessartite garnet) in person and would love to.
Posted: 5/12/2006 12:56:14 AM

P: 5/12/2006 2:36:19 PM
innerkitten Ideal Rock Total Posts: 2,923 Last Post: 11/23/2009 Member Since: 8/2/2003	Hi Movie Zombie, I'm still around sometimes :) Thanks for posting that info.
Posted: 5/12/2006 2:36:19 PM

P: 5/12/2006 3:49:27 PM
movie zombie Ideal Rock Total Posts: 5,223 Last Post: 11/25/2009 Member Since: 1/20/2005	richard's info was indeed informative and specific. hope to hear from you again soon, Inner Kitten! movie zombie "I don't feel enjoyment watching films that evoke passivity. If you need that kind of comfort, I don't understand why you wouldn't go to a spa." Chan-wook Park
Posted: 5/12/2006 3:49:27 PM

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