The Gemstone Uvarovite (Garnet)
Uvarovite is the rarest of the familiar Garnets, and is seldom used as a gem. The term Garnet describes a group name for several closely related minerals that form important gemstones, and Uvarovite is an individual member mineral of the Garnet group. It only occurs in very small crystals, and crystals are rarely large enough for faceting. The color of Uvarovite is a deep chrome-green, and Uvarovite is a unique Garnet being that it only comes in one color.
Chemical Formula
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Ca
3Cr
2Si
3O
12
Mineral Class
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Uvarovite (
Garnet)
All About
The most common habit of Uvarovite is in tiny lustrous crystals coating a
matrix. This
drusy form of Uvarovite, from the most famous deposit of this mineral in Russia, sparkles with an intense deep green color, and is occasionally polished in this form together with the matrix. Crystals large enough to be faceted and with transparency are extremely rare and are faceted only for collectors.
Uses
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The
drusy form of Uvarovite is occasionally
polished together with its
matrix and used as a rare gemstone form, mainly as pendants and rings.
Treatments & Enhancements
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Uvarovite Garnets are naturally colored and not enhanced.
The Gemstone Uvarovite (Garnet) Sources
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The main source of Uvarovite is the
type locality in Russia. Other localities include Finland, Turkey, Italy, and the U.S. (California).
The Gemstone Uvarovite (Garnet) in the Rough Photos
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