One of
the rarest varieties in garnet, Demantoid garnet is known for the exceptional
fire and brilliance and mainly comes from Russia. The gem is an andradite
variety of the garnet and has a high refractive index. It has a higher index
than sapphire and ruby and accounts for its exceptional brilliance.
The Russian
Demantoid garnet has the
ability to split white light into all colors of the spectrum and this is a
remarkable dispersion. It has a higher ability to split light than a diamond.
First discovered in 1886 in Russia, the gem got its name due to its diamond-like
luster. It is mined in three locations in Russia- Klodovka, Babrovka, and
Karkodino. The quality at each location varies.
The gem
is found in other locations including Madagascar and Namibia but the quality
does not match with the ones found in Russia. The gems found in Africa are
yellowish green or brownish which is due to the high concentration of iron. The
Russian Demantoid garnet is very valuable and rare to be found. It has
distinguishing features that have made it a favorite of gem collectors.
The
Russian stones display fine needles in a pattern which is known as horsetail
inclusion and only a Russian
demantoid has
this feature which is valued by collectors. Gem collectors are willing to pay
any cost for such rare and distinguishing garnets. It is found in small sizes
and most stones are less than 1 carat. The ones over 2 carats are considered
very rare and their prices are also high. Demantoid is the most valuable among
the rare garnets.
The garnet
collection at Jupiter Gem includes a variety of shapes and colors for you to
choose from. The price ranges from $865 to $5000, depending on the size,
quality and cut.
