The facts
What spessartine actually is
Spessartine is classified as spessartine (garnet group), with the composition Mn₃Al₂(SiO₄)₃. It crystallises in the cubic system.
Colour comes from mn²⁺; iron content darkens the tone, which is also what a laboratory looks at when it is asked whether a colour is natural.
Refractive index 1.790–1.820. Specific gravity around 4.12–4.20. Cleavage: none. Those three numbers separate it from most of what imitates it.
Where spessartine comes from
Spessartine is produced at Marienfluss Valley, Kunene, Namibia (mandarin), Loliondo, Tanzania, Bahia, Brazil and Payun, Nigeria.
The locality is part of the description, not a footnote — two stones of the same weight from two of these places are not the same stone.
How spessartine is treated
Untreated. Namibian 'mandarin' material from the original Kunene find is mostly exhausted, so the name is applied loosely to any vivid orange spessartine.
Treatment changes value, sometimes by a multiple, so it belongs in the description before the price and not after the sale.
What spessartine is confused with
In the trade spessartine is most often mistaken for, or substituted by, Hessonite, Fire opal, Orange sapphire, Malaia garnet or Orange glass.
The separation is rarely a matter of opinion: refractive index 1.790–1.820 and specific gravity 4.12–4.20 settle most of it in a minute, and magnification settles the rest.
What spessartine is used for
Demand for spessartine comes from jewellery and mineral collecting, which is why one price per carat never covers it.
We quote each application in the unit that trade actually buys in, by the carat or by the specimen.
Durability and care
Hardness 7–7.5; cleavage none. That combination decides what it can safely be set into.
With no cleavage plane to worry about, the practical limit is abrasion rather than breakage, and it takes daily wear well.
Warm water, mild soap and a soft brush. Avoid ultrasonic cleaners on anything fracture-filled, stabilised, dyed or visibly included.
What spessartine costs
As a guide, spessartine trades around $50–800/ct for fine mandarin colour.
That is a range, not a quote. Colour, size, clarity, cut and origin move the figure a long way inside it, and the only honest price is one given against a specific stone. Send us what you need and we will price it.
Questions
Is spessartine treated, and how?
Untreated. Namibian 'mandarin' material from the original Kunene find is mostly exhausted, so the name is applied loosely to any vivid orange spessartine.
Where does spessartine come from?
Marienfluss Valley, Kunene, Namibia (mandarin), Loliondo, Tanzania, Bahia, Brazil and Payun, Nigeria. Origin affects price, so we name the locality rather than the country on every quote.
Is spessartine hard enough to wear every day?
Yes. At 7–7.5 on the Mohs scale with no cleavage plane, it handles daily wear well. The practical limit is gradual abrasion rather than chipping.
How much does spessartine cost?
Indicatively $50–800/ct for fine mandarin colour. Colour, size, clarity and origin move the price a long way within that, so treat it as a range and ask for a quote against a specific stone.
What is spessartine confused with?
Most often Hessonite, Fire opal, Orange sapphire, Malaia garnet and Orange glass. A refractive index of 1.790–1.820 and a specific gravity near 4.12–4.20 separate it quickly.
Related stones
Looking for spessartine?
Tell us the size, the quality and what it is for. We source it, photograph it and quote it — with the locality named.
Ask about spessartine