History and General Information Hessonite Garnet | Gomed

Though there are various varieties of garnets that exist, the hessonite garnet or Gomed is the one in India. The hessonite garnet or Gomed is also called the Cinnamon stone because it was first found in Ceylon (now known as Sri Lanka), a land known for its spices. The hessonite garnet is also one of the popular gems in the Indian market and is popularly known as the gomedha or gomed. The hessonite garnet gemstone is one of the Navagraha stones (stones that represent the nine planets that have a cosmic influence on all earthlings).

It represents the God of the Ascending/North lunar node (Rahu) in Indian astrology and is associated with past karma. Astronomically, Ketu and Rahu denote the points of intersection of the paths of the Sun and the Moon as they move along the celestial orbit. Therefore, Rahu and Ketu are respectively called the north and the south lunar nodes. According to Hindu mythology, Rahu is also the ‘Head of Demon Snake’ that swallows the sun or the moon causing eclipses to occur. It is believed that the shadow of Rahu  can plunge into any area of one's life thereby taking over strong control and creating chaos in that sphere of life. Such an influence is known to lead to all kinds of delays in fulfillment of ambitions.

The hessonite garnet or gomed is known to cure diseases caused by the affliction of Rahu and Saturn. This makes it the most favored gemstone in the garnet group in the Indian market. It is believed that a natural hessonite garnet can guard against the bad influence of Rahu and can aid in speedy recovery to bring success in endeavors. The gemstone is also known to increase appetite, vitality, wealth, happiness and bring good health and prosperity to the wearer. The astrologers in India believe that this gem should be set in silver jewelry and worn in the middle finger to ensure maximum benefits. Renowned astrologers even ask to see the gem specimens to ensure that there are no inclusions that are visible to the naked eye and that the gem is flawless. 

Composition of Hessonite Garnet or Gomed 

The chemical composition of the hessonite garnet is calcium aluminum silicate (Ca3 Al 2 {SiO4}3). The specific gravity is 3.65 and the refractive index ranges between 1.742 and 1.748. The hardness of a garnet on the mohs scale is 7.25.

Varieties of Garnet

There are various kinds of varieties in the garnet group of gemstones, the hessonite garnet or Gomed being one of them. The main types of garnets are:

1) Almandine Garnet

2) Pyrope Garnet (also called the Bohemian garnet or Cape ruby)

3) Grossular Garnet(also called grossularite or Gooseberry garnet)

  -Massive Hydrogrossular.

  -Hessonite (also called essonite or Cinnamon stone).

  -Tsavorite Garnet 

4) Andradite.

 -Andradite Garnet.

 -Demantoid (Uralian emerald).

 -Topazolite.

 -Melanite.

5) Spessartine ( or Spessartite).

6) Uvarovite.

Physical Properties of Hessonite Garnet or Gomedha

Hessonite Garnet Color

The best color for the hessonite garnet is medium to dark orange or brown orange to brown yellow with some variations in the tone. The hessonite garnet gem stone gets its excellent colour from the trace element iron or the mineral manganese.

Cut

Hessonite garnets are mostly used in rings and the natural rough garnets are cut to form round and oval shapes in most cases. Some multi garnets can also be cut and  faceted  into rectangles or squares and even hexagons. Garnet beads are also used to make necklaces and strings in jewelry. The various facets allow for the garnet to be cut in various ways and therefore you can select from various shapes like round, oval, square, rectangle and even hexagon.

Carat

Hessonite garnets measuring 2 to 5 carats in weight have a higher demand in the market. This is because most astrologers recommend gems of this size for therapeutic use.

Clarity

One of the common ways to distinguish the hessonite gem from its stimulants is the ‘heat wave’ or the ‘scotch in water’ effect that this gem displays.

Hessonite garnets are found in a range of transparencies, varying from very transparent to slightly opaque to fully opaque. However, the transparent varieties are preferred especially when the gem is being bought to be worn for astrological reasons.

Price, Cost and Buying Guide for Hessonite Garnet or Gomed

A good quality eye clean hessonite garnet can fetch a price from 20USD to 50USD per carat. Other garnet gems of vvs, vs and slightly included quality can cost anywhere from $1 to $30 per carat depending upon various factors.

Markets and Producers

Sir Lanka, the largest producer of the hessonite garnets, has produced fine quality gems for many centuries. Hessonite gem deposits have also been found in India, Mexico, Brazil, Thailand, Canada and Tanzania.

Treatments done on Hessonite Garnet or Gomed

Generally treatments are carried out on gemstones in the production stage for enhancement of the quality. This is mainly done to lighten or darken the colour. Some other treatments are also meant to improve the clarity and transparency of the stone to fetch a better price in the market. However, there is no evidence that a treatment for hessonite garnet exists as on date. Therefore most garnet gems that you find in the market today are untreated.

Simulants of hessonite Garnet or Gomed

Gems like zircon, tourmaline, Apatite and Idocrese are some of the gemstones which resemble hessonite garnet.

Interesting Trivia and other Hessonite Facts

Garnet is the official state gem of New York, USA.

Garnet birthstone is for the people born in the month of January. It is also called as the january birthstone.

The rarest of the garnets is the colour changing deep blue garnet, which was discovered in the late 1990s in Madagascar. This rare gem deposit is also mined in parts of the United States, Russia and Turkey. It changes colour from blue-green in the daylight to purple in incandescent light, as a result of the high amounts of vanadium.

Other varieties of colour changing garnets exist too. In daylight, if you hold it in your hand and look at it, their colour is likely to be shades of green, beige, brown, gray or blue. But in incandescent light, these very garnets appear reddish or purplish or pink in colour. Because of their colour changing quality, this kind of garnet is often mistaken for an alexandrite.

Orange spessartite garnet is also called as mandarin garnet.

Reference

1) Webster
2) Gemmology by Peter G.Read
3) Handbook of Gem Identification -   Richard  T.Liddicoat, jr
4) Gems and Crystals - From the American  Museum of Natural History - Anna S.Sofianides  and George E.Harlow.