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    A Guide to Birthstones - A Collection of Historical Articles on the Gemstones Linked to Astrology
    A Guide to Birthstones - A Collection of Historical Articles on the Gemstones Linked to Astrology
    A Guide to Birthstones - A Collection of Historical Articles on the Gemstones Linked to Astrology
    Ebook66 pages26 minutes

    A Guide to Birthstones - A Collection of Historical Articles on the Gemstones Linked to Astrology

    By Read Books Ltd.

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    About this ebook

    A comprehensive guide to the main varieties of birthstones, including their properties and structure.

    This volume features extracts from eight historical articles on the subjects of gemology and crystallography. This illustrative guide to birthstones is an ideal read for those who are interested in learning more about their spiritual connection to the natural world.

    Featured extracts taken from the following articles:

      - ‘Gems and Gem Materials’ Edward Henry Kraus
      - ‘The Natural History of Gems – Or, Decorative Stones’ C. W. King
      - ‘Diamonds and Precious Stones - Their History, Value and Distinguishing Characteristics’ Harry Emanuel
      - ‘A Manual of Precious Stones and Antique Gems’ Hodder M Westropp
      - ‘Precious Stones and Gems - Their History, Sources and Characteristics’ Edwin W. Streeter
      - ‘Gem Testing’ B W Anderso
      - ‘A Hand-Book of Precious Stones’ M. D. Rothschild
      - ‘Gem Stones and Their Distinctive Characters’ G. F. Herbert Smith
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherRead Books Ltd.
    Release dateSep 16, 2016
    ISBN9781473356412
    A Guide to Birthstones - A Collection of Historical Articles on the Gemstones Linked to Astrology

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      A Guide to Birthstones - A Collection of Historical Articles on the Gemstones Linked to Astrology - Read Books Ltd.

      GARNET

      Though the term garnet is often understood as referring to a single gem, in reality the name includes a number of closely related minerals. Several chemically similar elements freely replace one another in the garnet group. As a result, the properties of the group are variable, and consequently garnet gems may be quite different in appearance.

      FIG. 301.—Garnet (rhombic dodecahedron). Salida, Colorado.

      Garnets are in fact very attractive stones, but they are so abundant that they are not highly valued. Red garnet is frequently sold under deceptive names, such as Cape ruby and Arizona ruby, and the green garnet from Russia is known as the Uralian emerald. This undesirable practice has a tendency to increase the price of the gems masquerading under such titles (p. 139).

      All varieties of garnet crystallize in the cubic system with very similar forms. The rhombic dodecahedron (Fig. 301) and the tetragonal trisoctahedron (Figs. 302 and 303), alone or in combination (Figs. 304 to 306), are the only commonly occurring forms. Although the mineral is generally well crystallized, it may occur in compact granular aggregates, in rounded and disseminated glassy grains, or as water-worn pebbles. Garnet has an imperfect rhombic dodecahedral cleavage, and a conchoidal to uneven fracture. The hardness varies from 6 1/2 to 7 1/2, and the specific gravity from 3.4 to 4.3, depending upon the composition.

      FIG. 302.

      FIG. 303.—Garnet (tetragonal trisoctahedrons) in mica schist. Sunday River, Maine.

      FIG. 304.—Wooden models showing combination of rhombic dodecahedron and tetragonal trisoctahedron.

      FIG. 305.—Rhombic dodecahedral crystals of garnet.

      Almost any color except blue may be observed in garnet. Red, brown, yellow, green, and black are the more common colors. It may also be colorless. Although the colors are largely due to the elements entering into the composition of the various members of the group, they may be attributed in part to impurities present in minute quantities. The lighter colored garnets are generally transparent to translucent; the dark-colored varieties, translucent to opaque. The luster is vitreous to resinous.

      The index of refraction of gem garnets is as variable as the other properties, lying between 1.70 and 1.94. The dispersion ranges from 0.024 to 0.028 for most varieties. However, one variety, the demantoid or grass-green andradite, has a dispersion of 0.057, which is comparable to that of the diamond. Hence, when the color is not too dark, these garnets have considerable brilliancy and fire.

      FIG. 306.—Crystal of garnet showing a combination of rhombic dodecahedron (large) and tetragonal trisoctahedron.

      As garnets are isotropic, they do not show dichroism. This fact aids materially in differentiating red garnets from rubies, which possess similar indices of refraction and specific gravities.

      The composition of the members of the garnet group is easily expressed by the generalized formula M″3M″′2(SiO4)3, in which M″ represents any of the bivalent metals magnesium, calcium, manganese, or iron and M″′ a trivalent metal, aluminum, ferric iron, or chromium, for example, grossularite Ca3Al2(SiO4)3 or 3CaO.Al2O2,3SiO2 (see table below). A small amount of titanium may also be present. Thus, a garnet may contain all these bivalent and trivalent metals in almost any proportion, so long as the ratio between the bivalent and trivalent elements is 3 to 2. However, based upon composition, six varieties of garnet have been established. The composition of these varieties grades over into one another, and, consequently,

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