Garnets are generally one of my favorite stones to facet. Usually they cooperate and take a nice polish without fighting back. Sometimes they end up a bit too dark — a classic red that won’t sparkle. Sometimes there are fine needle inclusions that make for a sleepy look to the stone. Often they can contain interesting inclusions that are easily visible while the stone is on the dop and being examined with magnification but when finished, the inclusions are not a detriment to the overall appearance of the stone. So while I was in Tucson, I could not resist picking up a few parcels of small African garnets. As a balance to the larger (time consuming) pieces I was cutting using the fantasy machine, I dopped up a few of these for quick positive reinforcement.
This is a 1.30 carat garnet from Malawi which is 5.5 mm. across. There is quite a color range in the stones coming from this region. This stone tends towards the orangish side.
Next is another Malawi garnet which is has a purple red color. It is 7.8 mm. in diameter and is 1.64 carats.
Even more purple this garnet from Umba region of Tanzania is 1.56 carats and 6.7 mm.
Like the Malawi garnets, the Umba garnets also have a wide range of color. This orangish red one is 1.06 carats and 6.0 mm. across.
Another parcel was labeled “Ruvu River” which is also in Tanzania. This slightly purplish garnet is 1.02 carats, 5.8 mm.
