Grossular Garnet Value, Price, and Jewelry Informa on

4.20-ct Merelani mint garnet, medium very slightly yellow greenish, cushion brilliant cut, 11 x 7.6 mm, Merelani, Tanzania. No treatments. © The Gem Trader. Used with
permission.

Grossular garnets come in almost every color, even colorless, except blue. However, unlike other garnets, they’re rarely red or dark. O en light to medium i
they make brilliant, vibrant jewelry stones.

Grossular Value
For informa on on quality factors for grossular and other garnets, consult our garnet buying guide.

The Interna onal Gem Society (IGS) has a list of businesses offering gemstone appraisal services.

Garnet Value via Gem Price Guide

Top Color: oR, R, PR, rP 6/4

Almandine All sizes

   to   /ct

Fine Color Andradite: G 5/4

Andradite All sizes

See the en re Gem Price Guide.

Start an IGS Membership today for full access to our price guide (updated monthly).
See Plans and Pricing

Grossular Informa on
DATA VALUE

Name Grossular

Is a Variety of Garnet

Varie es Hessonite, Hibschite, Hydrogrossular, Transvaal Jade, Tsavorite

Crystallography  Isometric.

Refrac ve Index  1.720-1.800

Colors  Colorless (rare), white, gray, yellow, yellowish green, green (various shades: pale apple-green, medium apple-green, emerald green, dark green), brown, pink,
orange-red, reddish, black.

Luster  Vitreous to resinous.

Fracture  Conchoidal

Hardness  6.5 - 7.5

Specific Gravity  3.4-3.71; usually near 3.65.

Birefringence  None.

Cleavage  None

Dispersion  0.028

Heat Sensi vity Some

Luminescence  See "Iden fying Characteris cs" below.

Enhancements  Extremely rare: dyeing. Experimentally: irradia on to turn colorless and pale stones yellow-green, unstable.

Transparency  Translucent to transparent.

Absorp on See “Iden fying Characteris cs” below.

Spectrum 

Birthstone  January

Formula Ca3Al2Si3O12

Pleochroism  None.

Op cs  N = 1.72-1.80; usually 1.73-1.76 (with V = 1.743-1.759). May show anomalous birefringence.

Etymology A er the botanical name for gooseberry, Ribes grossularia, since the pale green color of the type specimens resembled that of this fruit.

Occurrence In metamorphosed, impure calcareous rocks, especially contact zones; also in schists and serpen nes; worldwide occurrence, widespread.

Inclusions  Healed fractures (fingerprints), crystals, two phase inclusions, growth lines.
 Grossular Garnet: Asbestos, Quebec, Canada (9.81), Tanzania (4.15, 5.01 // 2.59, 4.48, 2.18, 3.88 // 2.47, 4.82, 4.14). Photo © Joel E.
Arem, PhD, FGA. Used with permission.

Comments
Although you might s ll encounter the term “grossularite,” especially in older reference works, “grossular” is the more commonly used term for this garnet s

The color of grossulars depends on iron (Fe) and manganese (Mn) content. If a stone has less than 2% Fe, it shows pale colors or no color. Greater amounts
produce brown and green colors. Chromium (Cr) produces a rich green shade. (Tsavorites receive their prized emerald-green color principally from vanadium

Grossulars have a granular appearance under the microscope, some mes referred to as treacle. This swirled look comes from inclusions of diopside crystals
irregular streaks at grain boundaries. Some grossulars also have zircon crystal inclusions. Material from Tanzania may have ac nolite and apa te inclusions a
 Tsavorite: Kenya (pear shape, 5.15 // 1.6, 1.4, 0.95, 3.0). Photo © Joel E. Arem, PhD, FGA. Used with permission.

Varie es
The two most well-known gem grossulars are hessonite and tsavorite. For more informa on on these varie es, consult their individual gem lis ngs.

Like all garnets, grossulars can form series with other garnet species. For example, Mali garnets are a grossular-andradite blend.

Merelani Mint Garnet

Another popular gem grossular, this gem gets its name from its source, Merelani, Tanzania and, of course, its light minty green color.

Leuco Garnet
These colorless grossulars occur in California, Canada, Mexico, Myanmar, and Tanzania. Material from Georgetown, California has N = 1.737 and an SG of 3

Leuco garnet, fancy brilliant oval, 0.78 cts, 6.83 x 5.21 mm, Tanzania. Rare white color grossular,
very slight yellowish nt, no treatments. © Dan Stair Custom Gemstones. Used with permission.

Massive Grossulars
Hydrogrossular can be a component of the massive grossulars. So-called Transvaal jade is the green, massive hydrogrossular material from South Africa. How
not all massive grossulars are hydrogrossular. Pakistan massive grossular has a refrac ve index N = 1.738-1.742 and a specific gravity (SG) of 3.63, with a C
absorp on spectrum. Similar material from Tanzania has N = 1.742-1.744 and an SG of 3.68.

Californite
A mixture of idocrase (vesuvianite) and grossular garnet. Usually pale to medium green in color, it comes from California, Pakistan, and South Africa.

Rosolite
Also known as xalostocite and landerite, this pinkish grossular in marble comes from Mexico.
 12.93-ct peach grossular, medium-dark slightly orangish pink, round
cabochon, 13.4 mm, Mexico. No treatments. © The Gem Trader. Used
with permission.

Iden fying Characteris cs

Almost always zoned and o en twinned, grossulars appear dis nctly not isotropic under the microscope. Specimens can show anomalous double refrac on
due to strain.

Crystal specimens o en show stria ons.

For informa on on dis nguishing garnet species and blends, consult our ar cle on iden fying garnets.

This sherry-color grossular crystal from the Jeffrey Mine in Asbestos, Quebec, Canada shows faces with
stria ons common to these garnets. Dimensions: 2.8 x 2.5 x 1.8 cm. © Rob Lavinsky, www.iRocks.com.
Used with permission.

Luminescence
Usually none in ultraviolet light (UV). Some specimens may fluoresce weakly golden yellow under shortwave (SW) or longwave (LW) UV, yellowish green or
under SW UV, or orangish under LW UV.
All massive material glows orange in X-rays, as do many faceted gems. Yellow grossulars from Tanzania fluoresce orange in X-rays and also UV. (N = 1.734, S
3.604).

A very lively green 2.40-ct African grossular garnet with a high polish, under normal light. When placed under UV light, it shows a pink glow. © All
Gli ers. Used with permission. (Slide show created to demonstrate the stone’s fluorescence).

Absorp on Spectrum
None in pale-colored, faceted gems. A trace of almandine garnet may produce a faint iron spectrum.

A trace of Cr may produce a chrome spectrum in green varie es.

Massive grossular may show a weak line at 4610 or a band at 6300. Green, massive grossular from Pakistan shows a line at 6970 (weak) w
weak lines in the orange, plus a strong band at 6300 and diffuse lines at 6050 and 5050.

Orange stones may have bands at 4070 and 4030.

Grossular garnet, fancy round brilliant, 0.88 cts. 5.94 mm, Tanzania. Golden yellow, no
treatments. © Dan Stair Custom Gemstones. Used with permission.

Synthe cs
Scien sts have synthesized grossulars for research into geological history as well as the thermodynamic proper es of this garnet. However, there is no know
jewelry use of this material.
However, you might encounter simulants, gems that look like grossulars, offered as genuine specimens of the more expensive grossular gems. These may ev
include lab-created garnets. For example, gemologist and gem dealer Edward Boehm recalls examining a supposed tsavorite, only to find it was a piece of y
aluminum garnet (YAG), a synthe c garnet, “fashioned” to appear “fresh from the mine.”

For more informa on on YAG and other synthe c garnets, see the “Synthe cs” sec on of our main garnet gem lis ng.

Enhancements
Although garnets have a reputa on for typically receiving no treatments, this does occur. As it so happens, grossulars have received some unusual enhance
In one odd case, a rare colorless grossular was dyed to appear like a ruby. In a 1992 experiment, researchers found that gamma radia on can induce an uns
yellow-green color in colorless and pale hued East African grossulars. In sunlight, the color fades within hours to days. In the dark, within a week. Thus, this
has no commercial viability. However, examining yellow-green grossulars in sunlight is advisable.

For informa on on addi onal possible garnet gem treatments, consult the “Enhancements” sec on of our garnet buying guide.

Sources
Numerous locali es produce gem-quality grossulars around the world. Some notable sources include

United States: California (many locali es); New England region (many locali es); Eden Mills, Vermont (fine orange crystals, some gemmy, with green diopsid
Washington.

Inter-grown, deep amber-color grossular garnets on a bed of diopside crystals. Eden Mills,
Lamoille County, Vermont, USA, 2.0 x 1.8 x 1.8 cm. © Rob Lavinsky, www.iRocks.com. Used with
permission.

Asbestos, Quebec, Canada: fine orange to pinkish crystals at the Jeffrey Mine, up to 2 inches across, gemmy. Also colorless (N = 1.733). (Note: the Jeffrey
closed in 2003).

Mexico: large pinkish, white, and greenish crystals, color zoned concentrically, usually opaque; crystals up to about 5 inches in diameter. (Note: According
Currier, no garnets come from Lake Jaco, Chihuahua. Rather, the actual source of any gems from said loca on is Sierra de la Cruz, Mun. de Sierra Mojada, Coahu
Mexico).

Sri Lanka: grossulars (hessonite) found in the gem gravels.

Australia: Harts Range, Northern Territory (hessonite).

 Kenya and Tanzania: fine grossular in various colors (especially tsavorite). Tanzania also produces merelani mint garnets.

Wilui River, Russia: opaque green crystals with idocrase. These gems are also known as viluite.

China: crystals and massive white grossular.

Pakistan: some faceted green gems, also massive green grossular, also various shades.

Brazil; Italy; Myanmar; South Africa; Switzerland.

A cluster of golden yellow grossular garnet crystals. Handan Prefecture, Hebei Province, China, 4.2 x 3.7 x 3.3 cm. © Rob Lavinsky,
www.iRocks.com. Used with permission.

Stone Sizes
Lapidaries cut massive grossular varie es as cabochons of large size, including green shades and also pink, translucent material. Massive white material from
has also been carved.

The Sri Lankan gem gravels have produced orange and brown grossulars (hessonite) up to several hundred carats. Although clean only in small sizes, the fin
cinnamon colored hessonites from Quebec have yielded good cut gems up to about 25 carats.

While rare in clean gems over 1 carat, tsavorites in the size range of 10 to 20 carats do occur. A tsavorite crystal weighing 925 cts yielded a faceted 325-ct

Smithsonian Ins tu on (Washington, DC): 64.2 (orange-brown, Sri Lanka).

Private Collec on: 13.89 (yellow, oval).

American Museum of Natural History (New York): 61.5 (cameo head of Christ, hessonite).

Na onal Museums of Canada (O awa, Ontario): 23.94, 13.40, 8.50 (brownish-orange hessonite, Asbestos, Quebec); 4.68, 2.94 (colorless, Asbestos, Queb
 This display at the Na onal Museum of Natural History, Washington DC demonstrates the mul ple
hues grossular garnets can show. “Grossular Shades” by Alkivar. Public domain.

Care
Although garnets can make beau ful jewelry stones, grossulars straddle the hardness range of 6.5 to 7.5. Thus, some specimens may resist scratching from
household dust while others won’t. Before choosing a jewelry se ng for your grossular, ask your vendor or a gemologist about its hardness.

Smithsonian bars and brilliant pears make good design choices for face ng light-tone grossulars. Tic tacs and checkerboards make good choices for dark-to
grossulars, like tsavorites. (Note: Read Jeff Graham’s comments on face ng grossulars and Donald Clark’s advice on cu ng garnets for addi onal recommenda ons

Grossulars have some heat sensi vity and may contain inclusions. Thus, avoid mechanical cleaning systems and exposing them to extreme heat. Instead, us
water, detergent, and a so brush for cleaning. Consult our jewelry cleaning guide for more recommenda ons.

Grossular Garnet: South Africa, cabochon, (4.1). All others, Tanzania (ca 1 to 6.5). Photo © Joel E. Arem, PhD, FGA. Used with permission.

by Joel E. Arem, Ph.D., FGA, Donald Clark, CSM IMG, Interna onal Gem Society

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