Natural spessartine garnet Fanta orange 0.81ct oval cut loose gemstone for jewelry

Natural Spessartine Garnet

Spessartine is the manganese-rich member of the garnet family (Mn3Al2(SiO4)3), running from warm golden orange to deep reddish orange. The most vivid material, much of it from Namibia and Nigeria, is bright enough that the trade nicknamed it "Fanta" orange after the soft drink. With a Mohs hardness of 7 to 7.5 it handles everyday wear comfortably, rings included.

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Gemstone guide

Natural Spessartine Garnet

About spessartine

Spessartine is named after the Spessart mountains in Germany, where it was first described. For a long time gem-quality material was rare, until finds in Namibia in the early 1990s and later in Nigeria brought bright orange stones to the market; the Namibian material is often called mandarin garnet. Spessartine has one of the higher refractive indices among common garnets, which gives a well cut stone a bright, glassy return of light. It is rarely treated.

What you'll find in this collection

Most of our spessartine comes from Namibia, with a few stones from Nigeria, Madagascar and elsewhere in Africa. All stones are untreated. You'll find faceted ovals, rounds, pears and marquises from about 0.8 to 12 carats, a few polished pieces and the occasional cabochon, in tones from golden orange to reddish orange.

How to recognise spessartine

Spessartine is singly refractive and very bright, with a refractive index of about 1.80. Many stones contain wavy, lace-like fluid inclusions that are typical of the species, and its orange is usually purer and more saturated than that of hessonite, which tends toward brownish orange and shows a swirled, treacly look under magnification.

Caring for spessartine

Spessartine has no cleavage, but stones with many inclusions can be sensitive to knocks and heat. Clean it with warm soapy water and a soft brush, and avoid ultrasonic and steam cleaners and sudden temperature changes.

Every stone is natural, and each listing gives its weight, size, origin and treatment, with photos of the actual stone.