Merelani Mint Garnet is named after its mining locality, the Merelani Hills of Tanzania (spelt locally as Mererani). Like Tsavorite Garnets, they are from the Grossular Garnet family. In fact, Merelani Mint Garnet is just a light green cousin of the famed Tsavorite. Its pastel green colour is becoming more and more popular among collectors and jewellery designers. Unfortunately, just as in the case of Tsavorite, fine quality Merelani Mint Garnets are getting very difficult to find in sizes above two carats – even gems over a carat are becoming quite expensive.
Merelani Mint Garnet has a fresh, vivid green colour, great brilliance and is suitable for daily wear. Unlike many other gemstones, it is neither heated nor oiled. This gemstone does not need any treatment - it is beautiful in its pure, natural form. The colour range in daylight runs from a light green, to an intense cool green, to a deep forest green.
But this luscious Garnet has a phenomenal secret...
A miracle cocktail of ingredients mean that when this gem is exposed exclusively to ultraviolet light, it transforms from its beautiful mint hue to the most striking pastel pink and Padparadscha orange glow. This has become a way for gem buyers to identify and distinguish this rare and valued variety of Garnet from other varieties.
The key trace element that gives this stone this ultra-rare phenomenon is chromium. This is one of the most prized trace elements in any gemstone. Chromium is seen as one of the magic trace elements due to its association with the rarest and most valued gemstones in existence, such as Alexandrite, Ruby and Emerald. This gemstone has a rich chromium content that differentiates it from other Garnets and allows the colour change to take place.
Merelani Mint Garnet is launching on Saturday the 19th of March at 6pm on Gems TV with special guest David Troth.
