Pyrope Garnet Gemstone & Information | Gemopedia by JTV | Gemopedia™

Pyrope Garnet

Hear the word "garnet," and what invariably comes to mind is the image of the deep red pyrope garnets belonging to the pyralspites family. Pyrope comes from the Greek word pyropos, meaning "fiery eyed." The rich reds are both affordable and beautiful, perfect for not only gemstone collections, but jewelry as well.

Colors

Medium To Dark Reddish Orange, Red Through Slightly Orange, Red To Pale Pink, Colorless

  • Pyrope-garnet classification

    CommonName
    Pyrope Garnet
    Species
    Pyrope
    Variety
    Colors
    Medium To Dark Reddish Orange, Red Through Slightly Orange, Red To Pale Pink, Colorless
    AlternateNames
    Chrome Pyrope, Bohemian Garnet (Not Recommended)
    GemstoneGroups
    Garnet
    KeySeparations
    RI , SR nature and spectrum, possible SG. If stone has a pyrope spectrum and an RI slightly above 1.750 it is pyrope garnet. Stones with SG lower than 3.8 and a RI lower than 1.76 are pyrope and those with higher almandine.
    ClassificationComments
    Some rare light pink to colorless stone can have an RI as low as 1.717. Misnomers: Colorado ruby, Cape ruby, Arizona ruby, Bohemian carbuncle. Stones can show a chrome or non-chrome spectra.

  • Pyrope-garnet chemistry & crystallography

    ChemicalName
    magnesium aluminum silicate
    ChemicalFormula
    Mg3Al2(SiO4)3
    Synthesis
    CrystalSystem
    Cubic
    ChemistryClassification
    Silicate
    Nature
    Natural
    Crystallinity
    Crystalline
    ChemistryComments

  • Pyrope-garnet optical properties

    Transparency
    Transparent - Semitranslucent
    Dispersion
    Strength: moderate fire Value: 0.022
    OpticalComments
    RefractiveIndex
    1.73-1.75
    Birefringence
    OpticCharacter
    NA
    OpticSign
    NA
    PolariscopeReaction
    Singly Refractive (SR) With ADR
    Fluorescence
    SWUV: Inert
    LWUV: Inert
    CCFReaction
    Pleochroism
    None

  • Pyrope-garnet characteristic physical properties

    Hardness
    7-7.5
    CharacteristicComments
    Streak
    White
    SpecificGravity
    3.62-3.87 Range:0.09/-0.16 Typical:3.78
    Toughness
    Varies
    Inclusions
    Pyrope garnet is a type II clarity stone. Needle like inclusions and irregular, rounded crystals that can be apatite or zircon.
    Luster
    Vitreous
    Stability
    Good
    Fracture
    Conchoidal
    Cleavage
    None