Anyone know how you can identify a Garnet stone?

Question

I have a necklace with red stones, but have no idea what they are. After checking online and visually comparing them; I think they might be Garnets. Anyway to make sure on my own?
Are Garnets valuable?

Answer 1

I disagree with the previous answerers: color is a poor way to determine what a garnet is. They can be red, brown, black, white, yellow, green or colorless, and can be many shades inbetween. A better way to identify garnets is by shape and hardness. Garnets typically form as dodecahedrons, that is, as 12-sided pentagonal crystals, and have a hardness between 6.5 to 7.5 (may or may not scratch quartz).

Answer 2

Garnets can come in many colors, but if they are the red type, they are usually red with a bit of the color of root beer. If they are really brilliant red, they could be rubies. Garnets are a gemstone, they are valuable. Rubies are even more valuable. Take the necklace to a jeweler to see what the stones really are.

Answer 3

The picture you found online is a metamorphic rock called a "schist" The shiny wavy mineral that makes up the bulk of the rock is a plate like aluminosilicate mineral called "muscovite" The red and green gem like stones are garnet porphyroblasts (a fancy word for crystals) and the weak magnetism comes from iron rich minerals such as serpentine and magnetite grains within the rock. Originally this would have been an aluminium and iron rich sedimentary rock that has been squished and heated over a great period of time to become what it is today. I am afraid it is not from space, nor is it particularly valuable. It is a nice specimen though. Fascinating to know that it obtained its present form crushed beneath a mountain heated by friction to over 800 degrees with a pressure of about 400 kilopascals at a rough guess.

Answer 4

they are a semiprecious stones which are usually brownish reddish, you can try to scratch them to test, if it is garnet it probly isnt worth a fortune

Answer 5

blue.