Is it possible for a gem species identified with class rings to have class? For years, serious respect has eluded red-family garnets due to their association with school colors and signet jewelry.
Now newer strains of red-family garnet, found mostly in East Africa and Sri Lanka, are bringing stature to the stone. These strains are called rhodolite garnet and feature, at their best, a lovely vibrant violet, often reminiscent of an orchid. For the last 20 years or so, ever since rhodolite was found in abundance in East Africa, nearly 50% of all these garnets marketed in 1- to 5-carat sizes exhibit strong purple and pinks. Of this number, a good many possess prized purple-pink “day-glow” shades—colors that rival similar much-coveted hues found in tourmaline and fancy sapphire.
“Contrary to popular opinion, rhodolite is not necessarily a deep-toned, overly saturated red or purplish red,” says importer Tom Banker, Natural Arts Inc., Newport Beach, Calif. “In sizes under 5 carats especially, many stones show lighter tones and less saturated colors.”
It is these lighter pink and purple rhodolites that are stealing some thunder away from rubellite. And no wonder. Prices for fine rhodolite rarely top $40 per carat in sizes up to 5 carats and $60 per carat in sizes between 5 and 10 carats. Yet kindred-color rubellite presently costs $100 to $200 per carat. That may give this tourmaline some difficulty when the word is out about rhodolite, especially since rubellite tends to be far more included than garnet.
What’s more, even when included, rhodolite inclusions are generally too fine to be readily seen by the naked eye. Instead, stones take on a velvety appearance.
“Sometimes you’ll find slight bubbles and silk, usually in the fabulous purples,” says Bill Larson, Pala Properties International Inc., Fallbrook, Calif. “Reds tend to be flawless and water clear.” For the most part, however, rhodolite presents jewelers with a very affordable gem whose color, clarity and brilliance are a second to none. It’s just a matter of breaking down popular misconceptions about the stone,” Banker continues.
Pyrope’s Purple Cousin
The term “rhodolite” dates from 1898 when it was first proposed as a descriptive term for some newly discovered rhododendron-colored garnets found in North Carolina (hence the name “rhodolite”). An important mineralogical book of the time, Precious Stones, by Max Bauer, classified this “rose-red to purple” stone as an “intermediary between pyrope and almandine” garnet. It has remained on the books as such ever since.
Then, and now, pyrope (usually blackish red) and almandine (usually brownish red) have been the far more entrenched jewelry stones, continuously overshadowing this newer garnet family member. Only recently, within the last 10 years, has rhodolite begun to strut its own stuff. Alas, the grouping with pyrope and almandine has carried with it a false but lasting impression that rhodolite, like it’s bretheren garnet, is over-dark—although as early as 1903 mineralogist like Bauer told the world it wasn’t so. Consequently, says Bauer’s modern-day counterpart, Dr. Frederick H. Pough, “Rhodolite is one of the most undervalued gems in the world.”
Given its very low price and its great availability in fine colors, the obscurity of rhodolite makes no sense. Thankfully, rhodolite is finding a wider audience. The Japanese have taken to the stone as have the Chinese in Hong Kong. All of which means that rhodolite will soon catch on in the West, first and foremost, we believe, in America, where gem bargains are most appreciated.
Already, notes dealer Alex Bahtarian, Alex Bahtarian Inc., Englewood, N.J., “my sales of rhodolite are running near to neck-and-neck with amethyst, and you know how big a seller amethyst is.” And Banker is even afraid that rhodolite will catch on so fast that demand will quickly outpace supply. “I have got orders from manufacturers for fine-color pink-purple rhodolites that I am finding it difficult to fill,” he explains. “Everyone tells you fine-color rhodolite is plentiful, but my experience tells me differently.”
Small Is Beautiful
At present, there are two principal sources for purplish-red rhodolite: Sri Lanka and East Africa. In addition, lighter, less saturated pink garnets, which some believe shouldn’t be called rhodolite at all, are coming from India, often at $10 to $15 per carat. For classic pure-violet rhodolite colors, however, jewelers will have to turn to India’s island neighbor to the south, Sri Lanka, according to Larson. But this preference will mean spending more money. “Their greater expense in Sri Lanka may explain why more dealers mention Kenya as their prime source for rhodolite to us,” he says. A recent find in Tanzania is also responsible for a sudden availability of less expensive rhodolite.
Nonetheless, “expensive” is a fairly relative term when used in connection with rhodolite. Unlike fine aquamarine, rhodolite doesn’t need body mass to bring out its best color. Indeed, 1-carat stones often show off the stone to best advantage. It is larger rhodolites—over 10 carats—that tend to darken up and show more red.
“Once over 10 carats, it becomes increasingly hard to find rhodolites with that fantastic violet,” Larson says. “By 15 to 20 carats, stones with fine orchid colors can cost up to $100 per carat, even more. Price is a reflection of rarity.”
On the other hand, the same color in a 1-carat stone could cost jewelers as little as $10 per carat. By 5 carats, expect to pay closer to $40 per carat. In any case, low cost is one of the biggest pluses going for rhodolite.
“For $500 and less, a jeweler can stock a full inventory of rhodolites in sizes up to 5 carats that show a wide range of colors from reddish purple to purplish pink,” Larson continues. “The same $500 can scarcely buy you a decent ruby.”
Larson could have added rubellite and fancy sapphire. These last two stones are far less plentiful than rhodolite. Abundance, plus still-slack demand, is keeping its price way down. So jewelers who want to stock colored stones in depth, yet invest relatively little money, might consider this garnet. Banker says that rhodolite will beat the same path to success as aqua, blue topaz and amethyst.
“Purple, pinks and violets have become such hot fashion colors in recent years that more jewelry manufacturers than ever are using stones with these colors,” Banker explains. “No stone gives these colors with such clarity and brilliance as rhodolite. And when you tell people its cost, the stone is even more of a turn-on.”
Please note: this profile was originally published in 1988 in Modern Jeweler’s ‘Gem Profiles: The First 60’, written by David Federman with photographs by Tino Hammid.
The 5.17-carat rhodolite garnet shown in the header image was courtesy of Tuckman International, Seattle.
