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How to Tell the Different Types and Qualities of Garnet
 There are several kinds of stones referred to as garnets. All are beautiful and all are relatively similar in terms of composition. Luckily, these six different species of garnets: almandine, pyrope, spessartine, grossular, andradite and uvarovite, come in different colors so they are easier to identify.
Almondine is a dark red shade, but it’s also found in nearly black to pinkish red shades. It can also display a distinct four rayed star within the stone when cut in certain styles.
Pyrope is also a deep red, but appears to look more like a ruby when cut and shaped. Normally, Pyrope is not enhanced to improve color.
Spessartine Garnets are seen in more orange and yellow shades that are quite eye catching. However, they do sometimes show up in redder orange colors.
Grossular stones are available in a wider range of colors from orange to pink to deep emerald green. However, the green Grossular Garnets are extremely rare and so much more valuable.
Andradite Garnets also come in emerald green shade, which is one of the rarest of the gemstones and the most valuable of the garnets. You can also find Andradite stones in yellow-green and even black colors.
Uvarovite Garnets are deep emerald green, but they are commonly found in layers of very tiny green crystals on the surrounding rock layers. Since they are only available in the form of these carpets of very small crystals Uvarovite is less popular than the other garnets.
The best garnet pieces will be very clear, with no flaws and few inclusions. The most expensive of your garnets are bound to be your;
• peach-orange umbalite (which is a chemical mix of pyrop and spessarite garnet),
• bright orange mandarins (these are really orange spessartite garnets),
• chartreuse mal (mixture of pyrope and spessartite garnets),
• green demantoid (a form of Andradite garnet) and
• tsavorite (a variety of grossular garnet) green garnets.
Hopefully, you won’t get too confused by all the names of the garnets if you become familiar with the colors. 
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