The Vicky Colour Change Garnet & Diamond Ring
18ct White Gold Ring with 1.62ct Colour Change Garnet and Diamonds
A lovely 1.62ct cushion cut colour changing Garnet from Kenya, set on an 18ct White Gold band. Mounted with two baguette cut Diamonds to each side, totalling 0.38ct (F colour and VS Clarity).
Ring size M: I can arrange complimentary re-sizing up to two sizes larger or smaller.
Showing the colour change in the gem between daylight and candlelight.
This Garnet:
This stunning colour-change cushion cut Garnet is 1.62ct and 6.97mm high x 5.69mm wide x 4.1mm deep.
It was mined on the 30th May 2017 in Wundanyi Kenya. It was cut by master cutters in Nairobi into the spectacular gemstone you see today.
I purchased it on the 4th July 2017.
Colour change garnet is an especially rare and valuable member of the garnet group of gemstones. It is highly desired for its distinct ability to change colour depending on the type of light source with which it is viewed.
The appraisal said:
They don't come better. This exquisite colour change garnet hails from the Kamtonga area of Wundanyi in Kenya where some of the finest colour change garnets in history have been found. The stone exhibits a complete colour change from green to ruby red and is a true Alexandrite mimic. No weak colour shifts here - a true and complete change which is very rare in a garnet which is a singly refractive gemstone. Very rare and a true Collector's Gemstone.
Changing from a teal (blue-green) in fluorescent light to pinkish-purplish-red in incandescent light.
Gem Certificate
Mining Report
Colour change Garnet
Colour Change Garnet
In the rugged, wild Taita hills of Kenya, whilst digging a pit latrine in early January 2009, a ranch hand came across some unusual looking stones just a few feet below the surface. Those curiosities turned out to be color-change garnet. What followed is the classic tale of mining rushes. Hundreds of small-scale miners descended upon the area from nearby mines and started producing material - the very best of which rivals the finest from Madagascar - changing from a teal (blue-green) in fluorescent light to pinkish-purplish-red in incandescent light.
This amazing gift of nature, is a result of hundreds of millions of years of formation in what gemologists term contact metamorphism in the great Mwatate Rock Formation. The mineralization of garnet is not regular within this formation and fine crystals are very rare with garnet recovery only on one horizon of the quartz gneisses in which it is located. This extremely fine piece was one such rare crystal recovered in the recent mining rush.
Caring for Garnets
Garnets have a hardness of 7-7.5 on the Mohs Scale (similar to Emerald), Gems with a hardness of 6-7 or greater are quite suitable for rings which are worn occasionally. For a ring like a wedding or engagement ring, intended for everyday wear over a period of years, a hardness rating of 8-10 is recommended. Warm, soapy water is the best method for cleaning garnets. Ultrasonic cleaners are considered safe, but are still not recommended. Steamers should be avoided, as well as any harsh household chemicals and cleaners, including bleach or hydrofluoric acid, as chemicals can cause corrosion.
