Hessonite is a mineral belonging to the gorgeous garnet family. This gem comes in a fabulous range of warm, rich colours that display a high refraction index, meaning light moves beautifully through this lovely stone.
Origin & Supply of Hessonite
Also called ‘Gomedhaka’ in Tamil and Sinhalese, the name hessonite is derived from the unfortunate Greek word meaning ‘inferior’ – this does not relate to the beauty or popularity of the stone, but is due to the fact that it is has less hardness and density than most of the other garnet varieties.
The gem’s spectacular colour ranges from a rich red-brown and dark-orange to a vital honey yellow, with each specimen having its own unique tones and hues. Very light orange hessonite is often referred to as the ‘champagne garnet’ because of its glistening champagne-like colour. The vibrantly rich hues this gem displays come from trace elements such as iron or mineral manganese. Hessonite has a hardness weighing 7 on the Mohs scale, similar to most quartz, meaning it is fairly robust in surviving daily wear and tear.
This beautifully sparkling gemstone, with its richly warm colour, will add a captivating allure to any jewellery item. In addition, hessonite is appealingly affordable compared to many other gems, while being gorgeous none-the-less. It is also thought to bring success and wealth, as well as to increase your life span.
||Colour||Honey-yellow, Orange-brown, Brown-red|
|Sources||Sri Lanka,Brazil, India, Canada, Madagascar, and Tanzania|
Hessonite Buyers Tips
- This vibrant stone is one of the more modestly priced gems of all garnet types, although the deeper and richer its colour, the more its price tag rises.
- Specimens that measure over 2 carats are in higher demand than the smaller stones.