Guide
Garnet specimens for sale
470 for sale · $15–$15,000 USD
2,143 in the gallery
Garnet is a group of silicate minerals that crystallizes in a cubic to six-based system, commonly forming isometric, often well-shaped dodecahedra or trapezohedra. The crystals typically exhibit a glassy to adamantine lustre and can range in color from red to green, depending on the specific species within the group. Collectors prize garnets for their clarity, color zoning, and the way well-terminated faces catch light, with notable habit including single, sharp crystals and compact, gemmy clusters.
- Formula
- X3Z2(SiO4)3
- Rarity
- Common
- Stability
- Stable
- Collector interest
- Moderate Interest
- Classification notes
- Nesosilicate; Garnet group (general formula X3Y2(SiO4)3)
Key characteristics
- Crystal system
- isometric
- Mohs hardness
- 6.5–7.5
- Specific gravity
- 3.1–4.3
- Luster
- vitreous, resinous
- Transparency
- transparent, translucent, opaque
- Color
- colorless, white, gray, black, brown, red, orange, yellow, green, blue, violet, pink
- Streak
- white
- Cleavage
- none
- Fracture
- conchoidal, uneven
- Crystal habit
- dodecahedral, granular, massive, equant
- Gem mineral
- Classic / historic
Buy Garnet specimens
View all 470Where Garnet is found
Top localities
- Jeffrey Mine34 specimens
- Tongbei15 specimens
- Wushan Spessartine Mine13 specimens
- Pakistan9 specimens
- Sierra de Cruces8 specimens
- Vesper Peak8 specimens
- Shigar Valley7 specimens
- Little Three Mine6 specimens
- Skardu District6 specimens
- Broken Hill5 specimens
Guides
All guides
Guide
Garnet from Wushan Spessartine Mine, Fujian, China
Garnet spessartine from Wushan Spessartine Mine, Fujian: orange to red-orange crystals in miarolitic granite, prized for luster, color, and dramatic crystal ar…Read guide
Guide
Garnet from Sierra de Cruces, Coahuila, Mexico
Garnet from Sierra de Cruces, Coahuila - raspberry-red grossular dodecahedra on pale matrix, sharp color zoning, and collector appeal from a notable locality.Read guide
Guide
Garnet from Saranovskii Mine, Urals, Russia
Saranovskii Mine, Urals, Russia — type locality for uvarovite garnet; emerald-green drusy crystals on chromite, highly valued by collectors for locality weight.Read guide
Guide
Garnet from Jeffrey Mine, Quebec, Canada
Garnet from Jeffrey Mine, Quebec — grossular varieties from cinnamon to pink, gem-like on diopside, prized for cabinet-quality crystals and classic locality.Read guide
Guide
Garnet from Ala Valley, Piedmont, Italy
Ala Valley garnet, Piedmont, Italy — classic Alpine hessonite and grossular-andradite in rodingites, with diopside and clinochlore, sharp dodecahedral forms.Read guideAbout Garnet
Among the most sought-after specimens are those sourced from classic localities in Tanzania, the United States, Pakistan, Madagascar, and Canada. These deposits have yielded garnets with strong crystallization, clean interiors, and striking facets that display vibrant hues and transparency. The material is widely admired for its enduring color and versatile applications in mineral displays, jewelry-scale facets, and educational reference material.
Collectors value garnet for its variety and predictable crystallography, the ease of recognizing its characteristic diamond-like refractivity, and the enduring appeal of its uniform, well-formed crystals. Well-prepared samples from renowned mines offer a reliable benchmark for mineral quality, making garnet a staple among explanatory suites and cabinet drawers alike.
