Mandarin Garnet (Spessartite is its gemmological name) is a rare form of Garnet called in this way for its vivid orange colour. It appeared in the gemstone trade some decades ago, after its discovery in Namibia in the 1990s; within a very short time this stone was very appreciated by the international jewellery world.
The best specimens of this gemstone was found in Namibia, a deposit exhausted very soon; fortunately, at the end of the 90’s, was discovered another great source, always in Africa, this time in Nigeria.
This gemstone is characterized by different factors: its magnificent colours, a radiant orange sometimes with slight brown undertones, its very high refractive index and the good hardness.
Mandarin Garnet is ideochromatic, meaning that it is coloured by a principal element in its composition: manganese, which produces its unique orange tone. The most valuable varieties, very rare and sought after by gem collectors and for high jewellery, are a bright, slightly reddish orange, known as mandarin or fanta orange.
The remarkably high refractive index gives Mandarin Garnet an exceptional brilliance for that it was always considered one of the most brilliant stones in the coloured stones family.
Another factor that contributes to make Mandarin Garnet a truly special gemstone is its good hardness, of 7-7.5, perfect for any piece of jewelry.
The mix of vivid eye-catching colour, garnet’s very high refractive index, hardness level and scarcity makes Mandarin Garnet really special and highly desired.
The prices and value of this stone varies, according to the quality and size of the gemstone. It is very rare to find a Mandarin Garnet in big dimension, especially in jewellery; despite this, we are one of the few high-end jewellery houses to have in our stone collection magnificent Mandarin Garnets in larger sizes, even around 25 carats.
