Need help! A friend of mine stopped by with a large coffee can
2/3rd’s full of red garnets. The help is needed in this area, the
garnet range from .07mm and smaller. Under a light they are very
pretty purple and deep red. They were dredged, Is there a value
to and for such small garnets? We have no gemologist up here and
I’m trying. But felt like you guys would have a better idea of
the value and what to do with them. My main business is in fossil
ivory and silversmithing, but starting to face these situations
being the only one up here in the mountains that does know a
little. Any help would be very helpful as seeeing Idaho is a gem
state and yet the northern is empty of a gemologist. Thank You,
Sarah
Hi Sarah,
the garnet range from .07mm and smaller.<<
Are you sure about the size? .07 mm is about .002"; at that size
they’d be too small for anything but sandpaper (garnet paper).
Dave
Sarah:
As someone else on the list mentioned, your measurements are
quoted wrong. 7mm would be about 1/4 inch, actually 1/4 inch=
6.36mm, approx. Such stones would be about 2-4 cts, I would
estimate. Red colors are pretty comon in pyrope, probably what
you have. Depth of color would determine whether these were of
faceting quality. Altho’ some will sell stuff that is pretty
dark, a good stone you will be able to see the color if you set
it on a piece of white paper in normal room light. If you can’t
see the color (see black or close to it) under a 100 watt light,
the faceted stone will look about the same. DON’T look at the
pretty color by holding the stone up in front of the light and
assume you will see it in the cut stone unless you are going to
wear it with a light bulb behind it. You would also need to
check for inclusions — if it doesn’t have flaws it is the best
faceting material.
The small size you have limits the value, but it might be worth,
as faceting material, a quarter to fifty cents a carat retail, I
would think. You can check ads in the Lapiday Journal. If it is
a good “rhodolite color” — raspberry, rose, violet — it could
sell for $2/ct, but most will be looking for bigger pieces. HTH.
Oh, and by the way, if you polish one, you may find it will
star, and that is another story (another price), but again you
will be limited by the size, as most amateurs will want to cut
larger material.
Thank you so much for your reply. In this vast mound we’ve found
a little bit of every thing. From .07mm to 1/2" and still
digging through it. I did learn a lot from your reply,thank you
again. Sarah