Pyrope garnets occur in near-colorless to light orange and pink, as well as the familiar red. Because the pale-hued pyropes are unfamiliar to gemologists, their low refractive index usually results in their misidentification as grossular. This note clarifies the means by which these unusual garnets, predominantly from East Africa, can be properly and easily identified with a refractometer and a spectroscope.
Pyrope garnets occur in near-colorless to light orange and pink, as well as the familiar red. Because the pale-hued pyropes are unfamiliar to gemologists, their low refractive index usually results in their misidentification as grossular. This note clarifies the means by which these unusual garnets, predominantly from East Africa, can be properly and easily identified with a refractometer and a spectroscope.
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