UVAROVIT — an unusual green garnet from the Urals

 Characteristics of the stone

This mineral is a type of garnet of bright green color. It is formed in rocks rich in manganese and iron. As a rule, stones are small in size, up to 3 mm in diameter, connected in aggregates. Large formations are very rare.

Uvarovit is transparent and attracts the eye with a beautiful glossy sheen. One of the unique features of this crystal is that it does not melt and does not respond to acids, unlike other "representatives" of the garnet group. The hardness of uvarovite is in the middle of the generally accepted Mohs scale – from 6.5 to 7.5 points.

History and origin

A new type of garnet was discovered in 1832 in the Saranovskoye field, in the Urals, Russia. The chemist Hermann Hess compiled a detailed description of the stone and named it after count Sergei Uvarov.

Empress Catherine herself, the godmother of Uvarov, who later headed the Academy of Sciences, paid special attention to this stone. She thought uvarovite is one of the best ones. That is why the gem was called Imperial. The crystal is also called Ural emerald or chrome garnet.

Green garnet deposits

The best jewelry garnet uvarovit is extracted in Finland.

Uvarovite deposits exist in Norway, Turkey, Canada, South Africa, Italy, and the United States.

In Russia, the gem is mined in Perm region (the Saranovskoe Deposit). There are huge crystals for uvarovite up to 1 centimeter in size.

Quite a lot of pomegranates in Siberia (Transbaikalia, Baikal area, Sayan mountains).

There is a Glen Skiag Deposit in Scotland. A rare grayish - green garnet is found here. This uvarovite even got its own name — melanite.

The brown-green garnets of the Indian Hanle Deposit are called hanleites.

Jewelry only

Uvarovite is not found no other use but to give pleasure to beautiful ladies. Jewelry with a green stone, and even not simple, but with inserts-"brushes" inevitably attract the eyes of gem lovers. Rare large crystals are cut with an emerald cut. Even then, the weight of uvarovite rarely exceeds 1 carat.

So jewelers combine in the decoration of uvarovite with diamonds, emeralds, other gems.

How to choose the right engagement ring with an emerald

When purchasing an emerald engagement ring, it is better to stop at the one in which the crystal is fixed with a socket frame. This will protect the gem from various types of damage in the future, such as cracks, bumps or scratches.
Special attention should be paid to places where the emerald is surrounded by other precious stones. For example, it can be framed by white sapphires or diamonds. This will not only set off the elegance of the green crystal, but will also serve as an additional protection against mechanical influences from the outside.
It is advisable to find out immediately, in a jewelry store, whether the emerald you have chosen has been subjected to oil treatment. Often these precious stones are dipped in transparent oil or resin. As a result of this procedure, almost no inclusions are visible, which are usually part of almost all crystals. During the impact, the internal structure of the stone may crack, respectively, in the future — there will be chips and fractures. Sometimes emeralds are treated with green oils or epoxy resins. In any case, such processing is non-standard. It is used only in certain situations.