ALMANDINE
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Color Generally dark toned brownish orange to brownish red to purplish red, with low saturation. Magnification Needle-like inclusions that intersect at 70° and 110° in the same plane. High- and low-relief crystals. Zircon crystals with strain halos. Spectrum 3 strong bands in the green and yellow at 505, 527 & 575nm Fluorescence Inert |
DEMANTOID
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Color Green through yellow green, with strong fire Magnification Yellowish brown, curving, radiating "horse tail" inclusions Spectrum Yellowish Green Stones: Dark band at 443nm. Rich Green Stones: Cutoff below 443nm and fine lines at 620, 632, 693 & 700nm. Fluorescence Inert |
PYROPE
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Color Medium to dark reddish orange, red through slightly purplish red to pale pink Magnification Needle-like inclusions and irregular rounded crystals. Spectrum Chrome Pyrope: Band at 505nm plus broad absorption at 520 through 620nm. Possibly fine lines in the red at 685 & 687nm. Cutoff around 490nm. None Chrome Pyrope: Only the 505nm band and a cutoff at 490nm. Fluorescence Inert |
RHODOLITE
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Color Must have a purplish component Magnification Needle-like inclusions that intersect at 70° and 110° in the same plane. High- and low-relief crystals. Zircon crystals with strain halos. Spectrum 3 strong bands in the green and yellow at 505, 527 & 575nm Fluorescence Inert |
SPESSARTINE
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Color Orange, brownish orange, yellowish orange or red orange. Always has an orange component and never shows any purple. Magnification 2-phase inclusions, feather-like liquid inclusions, needle-like inclusions Spectrum Bands at 412, 424 & 432nm, which sometimes merge to form a cutoff. Bands at 505, 527 & 575nm. Fluorescence Inert |
TSAVORITE
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Color Medium to dark green, to yellowish green Magnification Partially healed fractures, fingerprints or small graphite platelets Spectrum Not diagnostic Fluorescence Near colorless to light green stones are inert to weak orange under LW, weak yellow-orange under SW. |