Stunning Mali Garnets are relatively new on the gemstone scene, and are found exclusively in Mali, W. Africa.

These gemstones are one of the rarest varieties of garnets, as they are actually a naturally occuring hybrid of existing varieties. This means that Mali garnets, like other hybrids, contain the elements and present the qualities of more than one previously identified type of garnet. In this case, the end resulting gems provide the basic - and best - qualities of the grossular and andradite garnets.

"Grossular" and "Andradite" refer to a larger sub-grouping of the massive Garnet family.

Andradites, in general, are relatively rare, in comparison to the wide range and variety of stones that fall into the "Garnet" catagory. The most popular, or well-recognized of this sub-group would be the coveted Demantiod garnet!

Tsavorite and Hessonite, as different as they are, both are catagorized as Grossulars. This variety seems to provide the stronger influence in some aspects of the Mali, including the refractive index (single - 1.77).

These garnets, though, exhibit outstanding dispersion (sometimes referred to as "fire"), which is attributed to the influence of the Andradites. Remember, a Demantiod is said to have a dispersion that rivals - or exceeds - that of a diamond!

These rare Malis are gorgeous, and may actually be found in various shades, from bright yellow, greenish-yellow, green, golden oranges, and even red or brown! They are an outstanding choice for a January birthstone; garnets are durable (ranking an 8 on the Moh's hardness scale) and these beauties blend extremely unique qualities to create a fantastic presentation! Best of all, garnets are one of the few gemstones that do not receive treatments, and - thus far - this variety has not been recreated as a simulant or lab gemstone!

Be sure to stop by our store to check our selection of loose and hand-set Mali garnets, as well as other garnet varieties, including Color Change!