Soft and velvety like a fine Bordeaux, Rhodolite garnets are a great choice if you desire a rich red gem with great clarity and good fire and an appealing price. So many rubies on the market today are colour and clarity enhanced and can often be glass filled or at least heat treated. Moreover, there are many clever synthetics on the market which can easily deceive the untrained eye. The great thing about Rhodolites is that they are treatment free and have very few inclusions. Their gorgeous raspberry through to rose un heat-treated colour can have some violet overtones and they are not as dark as the classic Almandine garnets so are often mistaken for rubellite tourmaline or rubies. Rhodolite was named after the pink rhododendron flower that is native to North Carolina, where it was first discovered in 1890 by the mineralogist William Earl Hidden. Rhodolites are a cross between two of the major garnet family varieties: Pyrope and Alamndine. As they can chemically exchange some elements on an atomic level the garnet family is full of hybrids and Rhodolite is one of these exotic blends. If you love the look of ruby yet not the price tag, then rhodolite garnet is a great alternative. We can source stones of all shapes and carat weight and would be delighted to create your perfect bespoke garnet piece.

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