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Natural inorganic gem materials · Mineral species · Natural identity; treatment status unknown
Spessartine
Also known asMandarin garnet · Mandarine garnet · Spessartine Garnet · Spessartite · Spessartite Garnet
A garnet-group mineral species with manganese and aluminium end-members; its GB/T basic name is “spessartine”, and Mandarin garnet is a trade name for it. Also known as Spessartite, Spessartite Garnet. This page compares how the major standards and institutions name it, what must be disclosed when selling it, whether it can be worn every day, how it is treated and identified, and which source each conclusion comes from.
Price, rarity and origin are outside the scope of this wiki.
What this page can answer
This page covers
- How Spessartine forms and what gives its colourFormation setting, process and timescale; where its colour and optical effects come from, each finding graded and sourced
- How to identify SpessartineHow far lab testing can go and whether a synthetic exists
- Treatments and enhancements of SpessartineThe enhancements and treatments the GB/T and JJA/AGL tables list
- Caring for and wearing SpessartineCleaning, heat, chemicals and light, as the cited sources give them
- Hardness, density and refractive index of SpessartineEach value with its source and check date
- Spessartine in English, Chinese and Japanese; national standard namesNames in four languages, the GB/T standard name and the suggested listing name; and: Which of GIA, FTC, CIBJO and Gem-A have a name for it on record, and do those agree?
- Name origin and history of SpessartineWhere the name comes from
- Listing and disclosing SpessartineThe listing name to use; what must be disclosed before sale
- Standard clauses that define SpessartineWhich clause defines it, each cross-checked
What we cannot conclude
- Whether one particular bead is natural, treated or synthetic — only a laboratory report can settle that.
- Geographic origin, unless an origin report accompanies the item.
- Price, rarity or investment value: this wiki covers naming and disclosure only.
Material research: formation, causes and history
What authoritative sources say about how this material forms, what causes its colour and optical effects, where its name comes from and how people have used it. Each statement carries an evidence grade and its sources; it describes the material in general, not any specific piece.
How it forms
Spessartine (also called spessartite) is the manganese-bearing aluminium garnet species, one of the five commercially important garnet species, and is typically orange. Sharing essentially the same structure as pyrope and almandine while differing in composition, it commonly forms solid solutions; spessartine with pyrope gives the pyrope-spessartine series. Chemical analysis shows such material can be classified as pyrope-spessartine even with a substantial grossular component, containing V2O3, MgO and MnO.
Scope: Used to describe the composition and solid solution of spessartine as a garnet end-member mineral species; the source does not give absolute ages, temperatures or pressures for its formation.
Sources GIA Garnet Description · G&G Summer 2025 · G&G Spring 2017
Where it forms
Deep high-pressure settings: the spessartine-pyrope(-almandine) solid solution forms at high pressure deep in the earth.
Sources G&G Summer 2025
Manganese-bearing Al-garnet systems: bulk-rock Mn raises the spessartine end-member proportion.
Sources G&G Summer 2025
How it forms, step by step
Under high pressure (often with metamorphism), garnet crystallizes in Mn-bearing rocks.
Mn2+ substitutes with Mg2+ and Fe2+ in the lattice, forming spessartine-pyrope(-almandine) solid solutions.
End-member proportions vary with bulk chemistry; the material is classified from oxide contents such as MnO and MgO (e.g. pyrope-spessartine).
Link to appearance
Spessartine is typically orange; its pyrope-spessartine solid solutions can shift from yellow-green (daylight) to orange (incandescent), related to V, Mg and Mn oxide contents.
Sources GIA Garnet Description · G&G Spring 2017
Timescale
The sources state no absolute age or duration for garnet formation.
Sources GIA Garnet Description · G&G Summer 2025 · G&G Spring 2017
Related base materials
- Garnet group: mineral-group member | Spessartine is the Mn2+-dominant aluminous end-member mineral species, and commonly forms solid solutions with pyrope/almandine
Supporting findings
Spessartine forms an Al-garnet solid solution with pyrope and almandine that forms at high pressure deep in the earth.
Evidence grade AScope: For the almandine-pyrope-spessartine series; excludes calcium garnets.
Recorded localities
Authoritative sources list the localities below; the list is not exhaustive.
Africa
- Namibia
Sources GIA Birthstones · Gems & Gemology Winter 2000
- Tanzania
Sources GIA Birthstones
- Madagascar
Sources Gems & Gemology Winter 2000
- Zambia
Sources Gems & Gemology Winter 2000
- Nigerialate 1990s
Sources Gems & Gemology Winter 2000
Europe
- Aschaffenburg, Spessart Mountains, Bavaria, Germanythe mineral is named for a locality near Spessart
Sources Handbook of Mineralogy
North America
- Little Three mining area, Ramona, San Diego County, California, United States
Sources GIA Birthstones · Handbook of Mineralogy
These are localities recorded by authoritative sources, not an origin finding for any individual piece. The CIBJO Gemstone Book (2022, §4.2.3) says a place of origin names where a gem was mined or harvested, is a matter of opinion, does not imply a level of quality, and that cutting, processing or exporting centres must not be used to imply origin. See how far testing can go on this page, the origin determination guide and the overview of recorded localities.
Causes of colour and optical effects
The colour-change behaviour of the pyrope-spessartine solid solution resembles group-5 colour-change garnets in its V2O3, MgO and MnO contents.
Evidence grade AScope: A chemical comparison for the studied group; not a universal rule.
Where the name comes from
'Mandarin garnet' is a trade name for orange spessartine: CIBJO's book for gemmological laboratories lists it as the orange variety of spessartine, and CIBJO's retailers' guide says a spessartine locality in Namibia produced a glowing orangey gem in the early 1990s that came to be known in the trade as 'mandarin' garnet.
Evidence grade AScope: Concerns the trade name only; the name is not an origin determination and says nothing about any particular stone.
Sources CIBJO Gemmological Laboratories Book 2024 · CIBJO Retailers' Reference Guide (2021)
Other research findings
Spessartine is one of the five commercially important garnet species and is typically an orange garnet.
Evidence grade AScope: Defines it as a commercial garnet species and its typical colour; no deposit detail.
Sources GIA Garnet Description
Pyrope-spessartine material with a high grossular component is classified by end-member proportions and contains V2O3, MgO and MnO.
Evidence grade AScope: Based on Sri Lanka colour-change samples; not all spessartine.
Limits of this research
- Research status: Formation, occurrence or other material-specific findings found in authoritative sources
- No absolute age, P-T or deposit data for spessartine formation.
- Composition/colour-change data come from a few Sri Lanka samples and cannot be extrapolated to all spessartine.
Methodology
- Origin determination and its limits
- Quality grading and value factors
- How gemmology became a technical discipline
Evidence grades
- A
- Standards bodies, government geological surveys, peer-reviewed research and museum records
- B
- Institutional educational material
- C
- Specialist databases or cautious readings
A statement is never graded above its strongest source.
This section is LumaLark's own factual restatement of public authoritative sources, credited item by item; it contains no verbatim excerpts, images or third-party logos.
DecideListing name, disclosure, care and treatments
- Suggested listing name
- Spessartine
GB/T 16552—2017 Table A.1 “Spessartite” · CIBJO Gemmological Laboratories Book 2024 §7.2.1.223 “Spessartine”
Construction or treatment status
Natural identity; treatment status unknown
Treatments recorded for this material: Heated / Heat-treated (via parent material), Filled / Fracture-filled (via parent material)
Related:Disclosure and cautions
This page cannot answer
Natural? · Origin · Price
A lab report settles these; this wiki covers naming and disclosure.
Related:What this page can answer
Answer at a glance
Spessartine is also known by several other names, some of which can refer to different materials in other contexts; use "Spessartine" to avoid ambiguity.
Evidence
- GB/T · Table A.1, row 锰铝榴石 (Spessartine)
What this means for you
Before buying, check the recommended listing name "Spessartine" and any disclosed treatments on this page, and ask the seller for a grading report if in doubt.
Known uncertainty
- Last reviewed
- 2026-09-01
Care and wear
Normal care for every gemstone (CIBJO Gemstone Book §6.1), in brief:
- Handle it gently.
- Store pieces apart when not worn, so they cannot scratch each other.
- Clean with warm soapy water and a soft brush.
- Use ultrasonic cleaners only with caution.
The §6.1 wording and the full list of §6.2 special-care letters cited on this page are on the general gem care page.
The item-by-item care advice that the GIA Care and Cleaning Guide gives for the whole class, and so for Spessartine, is set out in full under care on the Garnet entry.
Care
Spessartine — care (heat): Some stones are prone to damage due to thermal shock. Do not expose them to extreme temperature changes.
CIBJO Gemstone Book 2022
CIBJO Gemstone Book §6.2:special-care code e
- Treatment state
- any treatment state
Source & check 2026-09-25
- Source
- CIBJO Blue Book — Official Gemstone Book (Coloured Stone Commission 2022) (CIBJO): §8 Annex C, Spessartine, p.55; §6.2 e (locator checked 2026-09-25)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-25
Spessartine — care (special care): normal care, but avoid sudden temperature change.
AGTA Gemstone Information Manual, 17th ed.
- Treatment state
- untreated
Source & check 2026-09-26
- Source
- AGTA Gemstone Information Manual, 17th edition (August 2026) (AGTA): p.X, Gemstone Information Chart, Garnet Spessartite N, CARE REQUIRED / SPECIAL ADVICE (locator checked 2026-09-26)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-26
Each row's “Source & check” expands to the full source; the date beside it is the fact check date.
Common care questions and matching entries
HeatThe care finding for Spessartine is registered from the CIBJO Blue Book (Gemstone Book, 2022): it is sensitive to sudden temperature changes, in any treatment state. General careThe AGTA (American Gem Trade Association) Gemstone Information Manual, 17th edition, records that general care is sufficient but sudden temperature changes should be avoided, for the untreated state. General care applicable to all gemstones (CIBJO Gemstone Book) is in the general care part of the material entry index page; the GIA care and cleaning guide is given for garnet as a whole class and therefore also applies to Spessartine, and is set out in full in the care part of the Garnet entry.
This table scrolls sideways on narrow screens.
| Question | Matching entries |
|---|---|
| Heat and thermal shock | care (heat) |
Care entries by treatment state
The same entries grouped by the treatment state each applies to; each links to its full wording and source. Letters are CIBJO special-care codes, explained on the gemstone care page.
any treatment state
- care (heat) §6.2 e
untreated
Treatments and identification leads
One row per treatment, with three standards side by side: how often it occurs and how stable it is (CIBJO), its category in GB/T 16552—2017 Table B.1 (this site's paraphrase) and how the JJA/AGL 2025 table lists it. Each CIBJO value links to its entry under “Testing and market”, where the wording and source are given in full.
This table scrolls sideways on narrow screens.
| Treatment | Market frequency (CIBJO) | Stability (CIBJO) | GB/T 16552 category | JJA/AGL listing | Identification leads |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heating | — | — | Optimization | — | — |
| Filling | — | — | Graded — see §5.4.1, Table 1 | — | — |
“—” means the cited source gives no value for that item, not “none”. Source: GB/T 16552—2017 Table B.1 (row for Garnet); JJA/AGL 2025
Whether a treatment has to show in the name differs between the two rule sets (this site’s paraphrase):
- GB/T 16552—2017: a method classed as treatment has to be stated in the name itself — the method put before the name, or added in brackets after it; a method classed as optimization does not need to appear in the name, though one marked “Optimization (annotation required)” still has to be noted in the quality documents. Source: §5.4.2.1 a), b); §5.4.2.2 a)
- CIBJO Gemstone Book 2022: no longer splits treatments into ones that need specific disclosure and ones that need only general disclosure: every treatment is to be disclosed, and the seller tells the buyer which treatment was used and what special care it calls for. Source: §4.2.5 Note 2, §4.2.5.1, pp.14–15
What this table covers
What this page can give
- Registered treatments, their stability and how often they occur (see the table above)
- Identification leads for each treatment, for use when sending a stone for testing
VerifyNames, standards, technical facts, clauses and sources
Names
Besides Spessartine, the name register records "Mandarin garnet", "Mandarine garnet", "Spessartine Garnet", "Spessartite" and "Spessartite Garnet", for which no restriction on use as a name is recorded (CIBJO Gemmological Laboratories Book 2024 §7.2.1.140 “Mandarine garnet”; JJA/AGL Gemstone Nomenclature 2025 p.10; GB/T 16552—2017 Table A.1 “Spessartite”); 3 further names in non-Latin scripts are listed in the name register below (3 with no restriction recorded on use as a name).
Standard and listing namesThe GB/T 16552—2017 formal name for Spessartine is given in Table A.1, and the suggested listing name is likewise Spessartine. Trade and mineralogical namesThe mineralogical name is Spessartine garnet; Mandarin garnet is a trade name, orange garnet is a colour description, and Spessartite is the older English name used for this species in GB/T 16552—2017 Annex A Table A.1. Candidate search termsOrange garnet and the Japanese katakana transliterations serve only as search candidates. Names in four languagesNames are given in four languages: Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, English (Spessartine) and Japanese (a katakana transliteration); the Japanese form is the entry's own Japanese name, and Japan's GSJ wording for this name is not yet verified by this site. Institution usageThe CIBJO Gemmological Laboratories Book 2024 records Spessartine and registers the synonym Mandarine garnet; the text on file from the US Federal Trade Commission has no wording for this name, which has been checked; GIA and Gem-A are unchecked, and bodies without a recorded wording show the entry's own English name, which does not represent their position. Japanese namesThe JJA/AGL Gemstone Nomenclature 2025 registers the synonyms Spessartine Garnet and Spessartite Garnet.
Name register
Every name recorded for this entry, with how it is classified, whether it may be matched to this entry automatically, whether it may be used as a product name, and the clause it rests on.
This table scrolls sideways on narrow screens.
| Name | Type | Matching | Use as a name | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| no restriction recorded (8) | ||||
| Mandarin garnetEnglish | market name | matched automatically | no restriction recorded | editorial ruling (no clause cited); Note: Trade name. |
| Mandarine garnetEnglish | synonym | matched automatically | no restriction recorded | CIBJO Gemmological Laboratories Book 2024 §7.2.1.140 “Mandarine garnet” |
| Spessartine GarnetEnglish | synonym | matched automatically | no restriction recorded | JJA/AGL Gemstone Nomenclature 2025 p.10 |
| SpessartiteEnglish | historical name | matched automatically | no restriction recorded | GB/T 16552—2017 Table A.1 “Spessartite”; Note: Older English form used in GB/T 16552-2017 Annex A Table A.1 for spessartine. |
| Spessartite GarnetEnglish | synonym | matched automatically | no restriction recorded | JJA/AGL Gemstone Nomenclature 2025 p.10 |
| スペサタイト・ガーネットJapanese | transliteration | search candidate only | no restriction recorded | JJA/AGL Gemstone Nomenclature 2025 p.10 |
| スペサルティン・ガーネットJapanese | transliteration | search candidate only | no restriction recorded | JJA/AGL Gemstone Nomenclature 2025 p.10 |
| 橙石榴石Simplified Chinese | market name | search candidate only | no restriction recorded | editorial ruling (no clause cited) |
How each authority words this name: see Names › Authority wording.
- GSJ (Japan) formal name
- スペサルティン (not yet checked for this body — the entry's own Japanese name is shown)
- Chinese formal name
- 锰铝榴石 (GB/T 16552—2017 Table A.1)
- Mineralogical name
- Spessartine garnet
- Trade names and synonyms
- Mandarin garnet (market name) · Spessartite (historical name) · Mandarine garnet (synonym) · Spessartine Garnet (synonym) · Spessartite Garnet (synonym)
Four-language names
- 简体中文
- 锰铝榴石
- 繁體中文
- 錳鋁榴石
- English
- Spessartine
- 日本語
- スペサルティン
See also: Misleading and prohibited trade names · Supplementary name index
Classification
- Origin
- Natural materials
- Material domain
- Natural inorganic gem materials
- Browsing family
- Garnet-group minerals and gem varieties
- Identity tier
- Mineral species
- Mineral chemical class
- Silicates
- Construction or treatment status
- Natural identity; treatment status unknown
Treatments listed by standards
GB/T Table B.1The GB/T 16552—2017 Annex B, Table B.1 record for Spessartine is applied by this site from the “Garnet” row: on that basis, heating is listed as optimization and filling is graded, with the definition of each grade and the notes to Table B.1 on the Gem treatments page, and the whole row, with the effect column, on the Garnet entry. JJA/AGL designationsIn the November 2025 revision of the Japanese JJA/AGL Definitions and Nomenclature of Gemstones and Ornamental Materials, the list of main gemstone designations records Spessartine Garnet with the species spessartine and colours brownish red and orange-red, with a separate no-treatment category, and a note that it may also be called Spessartite Garnet. How to read the JJA/AGL table is explained on the Gem treatments page.
GB/T 16552-2017, Annex B, Table B.1
Under the “Garnet” row of Table B.1: Heating Optimization; Filling Graded — see §5.4.1, Table 1. The full row, with the effect column, is on the Garnet page.
What Table B.1 is, and how the “see 5.4.1” grades are defined: see the GB/T 16552: optimization vs treatment page.
JJA/AGL (Japan) table of principal gem names, 2025
This table scrolls sideways on narrow screens.
| Gem name | Species | Colour | Listed in the table | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spessartine Garnet | Spessartine | brownish red, orangy red | an untreated tier is listed | “Spessartite Garnet” is also acceptable |
JJA/AGL definitions and nomenclature (2025 revision), table of principal gem names, p.10
How to read the JJA/AGL table: see the Gem treatments page.
What it is and how it's identified
Registered material facts for Spessartine: the composition (phase) is spessartine (garnet group). Items taking values for garnet as a whole mineral group: the structure is crystalline, cubic, with a habit of rhombic dodecahedra or trapezohedra, and also combinations of the two; Mohs hardness is 7–8 and cleavage none; optical character is isotropic, often with anomalous extinction; birefringence is none; in the untreated state pleochroism is none and lustre is vitreous to subadamantine. The density given specifically for Spessartine is 4.12–4.2 g/cm³, derived from the clause value of 4.15 with a tolerance of +0.05/−0.03; refractive index is 1.79–1.814, derived from the clause value of 1.810 with a tolerance of +0.004/−0.020. The UV-visible spectrum shows absorption peaks at 410nm, 420nm and 430nm and absorption bands at 460nm, 480nm and 520nm, sometimes with peaks at 504nm and 573nm. For untreated body colour, the CIBJO clause gives orange and the GB/T clause orange to orangish red.
Registered material facts
Each row carries its own source and check date and can be cited on its own; “—” means the cited source gives no value, not “none”.
Chemical composition, luminescence, UV-visible spectrum, infrared spectrum, magnification: these whole-class features are given in the cited clause for garnet (the whole mineral group), so they are not repeated on the Spessartine page; see the material facts on the Garnet entry.
Items below that name the class they cover give the cited clause’s value for that whole class, not a measurement of Spessartine (how to read class-level values).
Definition
Spessartine — nomenclature status: IMA status G: grandfathered (described before the IMA existed, and generally regarded as a valid species).
CIBJO Gemmological Laboratories Book 2024
Source & check 2026-09-22
- Source
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-22
Spessartine — composition (phase): spessartine (garnet group)
CIBJO Gemmological Laboratories Book 2024
Source & check 2026-09-22
- Source
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-22
Structure
Spessartine — structure (overall): crystalline
GB/T 16553—2017
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
- What this covers
- garnet (the whole mineral group)
Source & check 2026-09-26
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.15 (locator checked 2026-09-26)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-26
Spessartine — structure (crystal system): cubic
GB/T 16553—2017
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
- What this covers
- garnet (the whole mineral group)
Source & check 2026-09-26
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.15 (locator checked 2026-09-26)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-26
Spessartine — structure (crystal habit): rhombic dodecahedra, tetragonal trisoctahedra, or crystals combining the two forms.
GB/T 16553—2017
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
- What this covers
- garnet (the whole mineral group)
Source & check 2026-09-26
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.15 (locator checked 2026-09-26)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-26
Durability
Spessartine — Mohs hardness: 7–8
GB/T 16553—2017
Reference points on this site: Talc 1–3, Fluorite 4, Apatite 5–5.5, Orthoclase 6–6.5, Topaz 8, Diamond 10 (Source: GB/T 16553—2017); Gypsum 1.5–2, Calcite 3, Quartz 7 (Source: Handbook of Mineralogy); Corundum 9 (Source: GIA Gem Encyclopedia (care guide))
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
- What this covers
- garnet (the whole mineral group)
Source & check 2026-09-26
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.15 (locator checked 2026-09-26)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-26
Spessartine — cleavage: none
GB/T 16553—2017
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
- What this covers
- garnet (the whole mineral group)
Source & check 2026-09-26
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.15 (locator checked 2026-09-26)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-26
Physical properties
Spessartine — density: 3.5–4.3 g/cm³
GB/T 16553—2017
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
- What this covers
- garnet (the whole mineral group)
- General note
- the clause has finer ranges
Source & check 2026-09-26
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.15 (locator checked 2026-09-26)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-26
Spessartine — density: 4.12–4.2 g/cm³
GB/T 16553—2017
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
- Qualification
The clause we cite gives 4.15, with a stated tolerance of +0.05 / -0.03. The range shown here is worked out from that.
Source & check 2026-09-26
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.15 Density · Spessartine (locator checked 2026-09-28)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-26
Optical
Spessartine — optic character: isotropic, commonly with anomalous extinction
GB/T 16553—2017
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
- What this covers
- garnet (the whole mineral group)
Source & check 2026-09-26
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.15 (locator checked 2026-09-26)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-26
Spessartine — refractive index: 1.79–1.814
GB/T 16553—2017
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
- Qualification
The clause we cite gives 1.810, with a stated tolerance of +0.004 / -0.020. The range shown here is worked out from that.
Source & check 2026-09-26
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.15 Refractive index · Spessartine (locator checked 2026-09-28)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-26
Spessartine — birefringence: none
GB/T 16553—2017
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
- What this covers
- garnet (the whole mineral group)
Source & check 2026-09-26
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.15 (locator checked 2026-09-26)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-26
Spessartine — pleochroism: none
GB/T 16553—2017
- Treatment state
- untreated
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
- What this covers
- garnet (the whole mineral group)
Source & check 2026-09-26
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.15 (locator checked 2026-09-26)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-26
Spessartine — spectrum (UV-visible): 410 nm absorption peak; 420 nm absorption peak; 430 nm absorption peak; 460 nm absorption band; 480 nm absorption band; 520 nm absorption band; may sometimes have 504 nm absorption peak; may sometimes have 573 nm absorption peak.
GB/T 16553—2017
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
Source & check 2026-09-26
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.15 UV-visible spectrum (locator checked 2026-09-28)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-26
Spessartine — optical effect (asterism): seen; rare; generally a four-pointed star; occasionally a six-rayed star (almandine).
GB/T 16553—2017
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
- What this covers
- garnet (the whole mineral group)
Source & check 2026-09-26
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.15 (locator checked 2026-09-26)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-26
Spessartine — optical effect (colour change): seen
GB/T 16553—2017
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
- What this covers
- garnet (the whole mineral group)
Source & check 2026-09-26
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.15 (locator checked 2026-09-26)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-26
body colour2 sources compared
Spessartine — body colour: orange.
CIBJO Gemmological Laboratories Book 2024
- Treatment state
- untreated
- Qualification
In chapter 7 of the CIBJO Gemmological Laboratories Book, the colour descriptions of Padparadscha Sapphire, Sunstone, Almandine and other entries also name orange or an orangish colour.
- General note
- colour alone is not identity
Source & check 2026-09-22
- Source
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-22
Spessartine — body colour: orange-red to orange
GB/T 16553—2017
- Treatment state
- untreated
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
- Qualification
In chapter 5 of GB/T 16553—2017, the colour entries of Ruby, Titanite / Sphene, Sphalerite and other variety clauses also name orange or an orangish colour.
- General note
- colour alone is not identity
Source & check 2026-09-26
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.15 Colour · Spessartine (locator checked 2026-09-28)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-26
How the sources relate
- CIBJO Gemmological Laboratories Book 2024 and GB/T 16553—2017
The two entries cover different ranges: the entry in the CIBJO Gemmological Laboratories Book is for mandarin garnet (orange), while GB/T 16553—2017 gives orange to orange-red for spessartine. They agree on orange.
- CIBJO definitions
- asterism, colour change
Quality factors
Spessartine — quality factor (lustre): vitreous to subadamantine
GB/T 16553—2017
- Treatment state
- untreated
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
- What this covers
- garnet (the whole mineral group)
Source & check 2026-09-26
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.15 (locator checked 2026-09-26)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-26
Each row's “Source & check” expands to the full source; the date beside it is the fact check date.
This material (RI / SG midpoints): 1.802 / 3.9; Closest values: 1Almandine 1.79 / 3.9, 2Garnet 1.825 / 3.9, 3Burma Ruby 1.768 / 4, 4Ceylon Sapphire 1.768 / 4.03, 5Rhodolite 1.755 / 3.9
Show the full chart (330 registered materials)
Outside the full chart's range, drawn as triangles at the edge (RI / SG midpoints): Hematite 3.045/5.12, Synthetic Rutile 2.76/4.26, Rutile 2.753/4.23, Synthetic Moissanite 2.67/3.22
Testing and market
There is no synthetic Spessartine on the market. Untreated Spessartine is distinguished from other varieties by being yellowish orange to reddish orange, of medium light to dark tone, and transparent. The CIBJO Official Gemstone Book (2022) registers the conclusion on synthetics, and the CIBJO Gemmological Laboratories Book (2024) registers the distinction criteria for untreated material. The CIBJO laboratory protocol places Spessartine under the "Garnet" entry; the specific identification methods point to the identification section of the Garnet entry, and the list of required methods points to the laboratory testing page.
The CIBJO laboratory protocol covers Spessartine under “Garnet” (§6.1.38): see identification on the Garnet entry; the required tests are listed on the CIBJO laboratory protocol table for Garnet.
How far testing can go
Spessartine — synthetic counterpart on the market: No synthetic counterpart of this material is commercially available
CIBJO Gemstone Book 2022
- Treatment state
- any treatment state
Source & check 2026-09-22
- Source
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-22
Spessartine — criteria for distinction from other varieties: yellowish orange to reddish orange, medium light to dark tones; transparent.
CIBJO Gemmological Laboratories Book 2024
- Treatment state
- untreated
Source & check 2026-09-22
- Source
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-22
Each row's “Source & check” expands to the full source; the date beside it is the fact check date.
Clause-level definitions
Spessartine has direct definitions in the gem materials list and definitions of the CIBJO Gemmological Laboratories Book 2024: the term Mandarine garnet is defined as the orange variety of spessartine, and the term Spessartine is defined by its criteria for distinction from other varieties, namely yellowish orange to reddish orange, medium light to dark tones, and transparent. For both the Mandarine garnet and Spessartine entries, the cross-check shows they are defined directly by CIBJO, and no identically named English entry was found in this edition of the GB/T annex. The IMA Mineral List also registers Spessartine, with the content Spessartine, Mn2+3Al2(SiO4)3, G 1832, cross-checked against the RRUFF/IMA master mineral list; the data are in the public domain.
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| Term | Clause | Definition | Cross-check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mandarine garnet | 7.2.1.140 | orange variety of spessartine | Defined directly by CIBJO; no identically named English entry was found in this edition of the GB/T annex. |
| Spessartine | 7.2.1.223 | Variety distinction yellowish orange to reddish orange, medium criteria light to dark tones; transparent | Defined directly by CIBJO; no identically named English entry was found in this edition of the GB/T annex. |
| Spessartine | IMA Mineral List entry | Spessartine Mn2+3Al2(SiO4)3 G 1832 | Cross-checked against the RRUFF/IMA master mineral list (public domain data). |
Evidence and sources
Authority basis and clause sources
Sources
- CIBJO – The World Jewellery Confederation. Gemmological Laboratories Book (Blue Book), Gemmological Commission 2024-1.
- CIBJO – The World Jewellery Confederation. The Gemstone Book (Blue Book), 2022.
- SAMR / SAC (China). GB/T 16552—2017 Gems — Nomenclature.
- GIA – Gemological Institute of America (United States). Gem Encyclopedia: Garnet.
- RRUFF Project, in partnership with the IMA – International Mineralogical Association. IMA Mineral List.
Further reading
Related entries and topic cluster
Parent entry and related pages on this site. Rows marked “Planned” are suggested new content and have no link yet.
This table scrolls sideways on narrow screens.
| Page | Content | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Browsing family | Garnet-group minerals and gem varieties | Live |
| Treatments recorded for this material | Heated / Heat-treated (via parent material), Filled / Fracture-filled (via parent material) | Live |
| Related articles | To be added (placeholder) | Planned |
Who maintains this page
The material facts in the Spessartine entry are maintained by the LumaLark wiki and matched one by one to the standard clauses or institutional sources they cite: every fact carries its source (with a clause or page locator) and a check date, so it can be traced back to the original; clause-level definitions also carry a cross-check result. The entry exists so that buyers and sellers can check naming, disclosure and material facts item by item.