Gem: NEW FIND Tanga garnet - October 2024 find
Weight: 2.28 ct.
Design and faceting by: Scott Maier
Dimensions: 7.45 x 7.45
Clarity: SI / VS - sparse, well distributed inconspicuous inclusions
Origin: Tanga, Umba Valley, Tanzania 2024
Treatments: None
Comments:
This NEW gem rhodolite sub-type was discovered in Tanga, Northeast Tanzania (Umba Valley) in October of 2024, and gained a following immediately, due to intensely open colors ranging from purple to pink to reddish-orangey purple.
I happened to acquire a small parcel of these gems, and immediately, I put my two favorites on the machine to cut. This is the first done!
It's a large, custom square cushion with a ton of color saturation. It's a nice medium pink color, and shifts noticeably to purplish in various light. It can show a mix of the two as well. Under incandescent lighting, it has a vivid neon reddish magenta color, which is what you're hoping for in a good color shifting or changing garnet.
I cut this in a design I made especially for it! it's got lots of brilliance and scintillation, and shows great from all angles. There are a number of very unobtrusive inclusions; mostly negative crystal inclusions, and a few needles. And there is one partially exposed needle in the crown, which I would say makes this gem SI, although I think it shows off like a VS gem to the eye. It shows as SI in the photos as well.
This gem has a VERY small flat culet. Best of both worlds: near-full performance, and less likely to be damaged in a ring while wearing.