almandite
almandite garnet crystal of Madagascar
African almandite garnet oval cut
asterism in an almandine garnet
Detailed sheet
almandite
It is the most well-known and widely distributed garne, named after its locality Alabandicus or Alabanda, a town in Asia Minor, currently in Turkey.Since Antiquity Pliny the Elder used to qualified it as gem. It was once known as carbuncle, an archaic name given to any red cabochon cut gemstone in reference to the color of burning coal.
Alchemists believed almandite holds the power of fire. Ancient societies, such as the Persians, used it to make jewels.
Its purplish red color is caracteristical but
CHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS
Fe3Al2[SiO4]3
iron aluminium silicate
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
Main color
red
Other colors
pink, purple
deep red color, inclining to purple. Idiochromatic, its color is given by its chimical composition.
Color of streak
white
Luster
vitreous
Hardness
6.5 to 7.5
Density
3.80 to 4.30
Cleavage
indistinct
Fracture
conchoidal, uneven
OPTICAL PROPERTIES
Transparency
translucent, transparent
sometimes so colored that it seems opaque
Refractive index
1.770 - 1.820
Double refraction
0.000
no double refraction because garnets are isotropic (listed in the cubic system). But they can reveal anomalous double refraction.
visible double refraction
No
Dispersion
0.027(0.015)
Pleochroism
absent
Number of colors
1
Absorption spectrum
576 - 526 - 505
spectrum system almandin
spectrum system pyrope - almandin
Fluorescence
none
Inclusions
solid inclusions : zircon, sphene, apatite or rutile needles which give a star aspect
CRYSTALS PROPERTIES
habit: generally occurs as dodecahedra, often big crystals
crystals system
cubic
OTHER INFORMATIONS
Astrological sign
Aquarius, Cancer, Leo, Scorpio
Month
january
Chinese astrological sign
Rat
APPROACHING GEMS
Exploited
sites
It is found in Austria (in the Otztal, Tyrol), Scotland, Czech Republic, Syria,
Brazil (Pedra Lavrada), the United States in Emerald Creek in Idaho and Barton
in New York State, in India (Jaipur, Rajasthan), in Afghanistan, Pakistan,
China, Madagascar, Sri Lanka. In France it was found in the Eastern Pyrenees
in the Batere Mine, at Pnt de Salars in Aveyron and at Rives de Giers
in the department of the Loire.
use in jewelry
It has been used since antiquity in Europe and India as a gemstone, sometimes engraved. Its beautiful red color and brightness have a very beautiful effect. The most interesting ones are from India and Sri Lanka. Its composition is sometimes very close to pyrope to which it closely resembles, and with which it is often confused. Garnets were popular throughout the world and were widely used in the second half of the nineteenth century.
It is also used to make abrasives. Garnet is the stone anniversary of the second year of marriage.
Daily care
and precautions
Gem easy to maintain, it cleans up with water containing detergent, rinse with clear water non calcareous. Impact resistant, it can still break during a violent shock.
imitations and
treatments
A red glass can imitate it as much as synthetic rubies and spinels. There are also garnet-glass doublets since the nineteenth century. This is the material that was used to make tables and / or crowns of garnet-glass doublets.
Historical
healing properties
It is not recommended, as many red stones, to the aggressive, the angry, the jealous, to the ambitious … but however it is advisable to calm ones and in control of themselves.
It is a stone of energy,of roots in relation to the earth. It is related to the bloodstream. This garnet transmits force, energy, courage (solar plexus chakra). It would fight external aggression, would have a beneficial effect on blood circulation (Heart chakra) and is related to the sexual organs (Sex Chakra).
Other
Gems
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