Rhodolite Education: Types, Colors, Description, Origins & Details
LEARN ABOUT THE ROSE GARNET
The rosy pink and purplish hues of Rhodolite have successfully made its way to the hearts of people. And why not? Who isn’t in love with the intense color of roses after all! Vibrant, romantic and rich! A Rhodolite is sure to captivate any eye with its bold and queen-like appearance! This semi-precious gemstone is any day a great pick to embed your jewelry with and we know this is one of the gemstone whose mere glance can get your curious to explore it all! And since the hype for Rhodolite has been on the rise for quite a while, here we are with our Rhodolite education guide to help you get well versed with everything under the roof about this beauty in red right from where and how it came into picture to what all properties it possesses and what to actually look for while buying this semi-precious gemstone. Let’s set the dice rolling!
Properties of Rhodolite
Hardness
Having a hardness rating of 7-7.5 on Mohs scale, Rhodolite is known to be pretty durable making it easier for it to withstand the wear and tear of regular use but not without proper care
Composition
The major architect of its beauty and the natural rosy-pink or purplish-red hues that we’ve all fallen for! Belonging to the blend of pyrope and alamandine minerals, the most sought after and alluring purple-red color specifically of Rhodolite is all thanks to the presence of iron in its formation. Its formation takes place in a cubic crystal of wide variety of sizes in its natural form.
Luster
What can alleviate its rosy beauty more than the vitreous, i.e., the glass-like luster that it possesses. Having a refractive index of 1.750-1.780, the versatile June birthstone Rhodolite ranges from being translucent to transparent.
Origin & History
Since the known discovery of Rhodolite dates back to the late 1890s in Cowe Creek, it has sure made a significant place in everybody’s hearts but it is still relatively quite new. In bits and pieces, some believe that Noah used it to lighten up his ship while traveling in dark, but there is no exact evidence if it was Rhodolite since it also believes to the garnet family and this folklore specifically has ties with Garnet. Thanks to its vibrant raspberry color, it has been derived from the Greek word ‘rhodon’ meaning rose, inspired from the beautiful rhododendron flower. It has been known to work like a protective charm while traveling. Everyone right from the people in Europe to Rome and Greek are equally allured by its beauty and believe it to have miraculous healing powers. It was though interestingly earlier believed to be the variety of Almandine but with great fascination and study, William Earl found it to be a variety of Pyrope more.
Where is Rhodolite found?
Well, though comparatively recent, the official discovery of Rhodolite dates back to around 1893 in North Carolina, USA wherein it was found by the famous mineralogist of that era, William Earl Hidden and that too interestingly, of the Rhodon Island. It is abundantly found today in Brazil, India, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe, Madagascar, Kenya, Norway and USA. Tanzania has been hailed as the finest source of Rhodolite today. Talking about its specific formation, Rhodolite, generally termed as Rhodolite garnet, takes birth when sedimentary rocks are subjected to intense heat and pressure, which is known to be the process of metamorphism. That leads to the formation of crystals, thanks to the breakage of bonds and with the help of minerals including the interesting combination of alamnadine and pyrope. This purplish-red or rasbperry color of rhodolite is completely natural, thanks to its intense formation.
Rhodolite versus Ruby
Rhodolite
Although as intense as Ruby, the color of Rhodolite is more rosy pink-red with purplish overtones, making it such a unique but just as alluring color. And another factor that many people don’t know is that Rhodolite is that the color of Rhodolite is completely natural and it doesn’t have to go through any kind of treatments to intensify its color. Apart from that, it is found to be slightly more clear and devoid of inclusions in its natural form and is known to be more affordable.
Ruby
The color of Ruby is more intense and deep red, which is probably how you set it apart but interestingly, many of the rubies that are available in the market are subjected to heat treatments, contrary to Rhodolite. In its natural form, it does possess some inclusions and blemishes but is slightly more on the pricey side.
Rhodolite Quality and Price Filters
Quality is any day the first thing we notice about a gemstone. And when that gemstone of this raspberry beauty Rhodolite, a top notch quality becomes all the more important since its craze has for time long been on the rise. But how exactly do you determine the quality of this June birthstone? Well, the primary determinants of the quality of any gemstone are its 4 Cs: cut, color, clarity and carat weight that individually and together, amplify the beauty of this semi-precious gemstone. Let’s give you a glance with our Rhodolite buying guide:
Color
Rhodolites are found in nature in colors ranging from shades of rose-pink to reddish purple glow. The purplish color of Rhodolite is the most sought after! The color offered by nature to this gemstone doesn’t need any further treatment. As is the case with colored stones, greater color saturation brings value to the stone however, over saturation results in the downfall of its prices. So, always consider buying rhodolite such that its natural rose-pink color is visible.
Clarity
A quality that Rhodolite excels in! Well, that’s because this semi-precious gemstone is found to be quite eye clean in its natural form, i.e., free of any visible inclusions. The inclusions commonly found in Rhodolite range from needle-like to apatite or zircon crystal impurities. While buying a rhodolite that more flawless the gemstone is, the higher is its price. You must ensure that the rhodolite is free from any inclusions visible to the naked eye.
Carat
The carat weight, which is typically dependent on the shape and size of this gemstone, determines the overall price, especially when more than 1 CT. And nothing to worry of! Rhodolite is found in a wide and versatile variety of carat weights, serving you with good options to choose from.
Cut
Well, the cut of any gemstone alone can work like a game changer since it is the brilliance of the cut that determines how well this beauty in red sparkles. Cut even minimizes the eye visible inclusions of the gemstone. Rhodolite is commonly found in oval, round, pear, followed by the cabochon cut.
Rhodolite Grading Value
Such is the hype of this rosy beauty that we have come up with our very own Rhodolite grading chart to help you judge the quality of your favorite gemstone better. On the basis of typically the color and clarity of this semi-precious beauty, let’s categorize the same into different grades:
AAAA (Heirloom)
A glance at Rhodolite belonging to this category would make you go all awe of its phenomenal beauty. It possesses the most sought after purplish pink color along with eye-clean clarity, i.e., free of any visible inclusions.
AAA (Best)
Another sought after category of Rhodolite! Although slightly less intense in color than its heirloom counterpart, it possess a captivating medium purplish red color hue along with no inclusions visible to the naked eye.
AA ( Better)
Having a medium purplish red color, the Rhodolite belonging to this category does possess a few inclusions. It is cut in such a way that it reflects a moderate brilliance.
A ( Good)
The least sought after category out of the lot! The Rhodolite belonging to this category possess a slightly dark purple-red color along with moderate inclusions and lesser brilliance.
Benefits of Rhodolite
Its intense hues would have given you an idea of what all astrological beliefs would have come attached to it. Having ties with heart chakra, crown and base chakra, what healing properties does this beauty in red not possess! It has long been hailed as the stone of love and inspiration, let’s give you a glance at its wholesome healing properties:
Physical Healing
Having ties with heart chakra, it is believed to heal all kinds of heart diseases, lung disorders, thus ensuring healthy blood circulation. Apart from that, it also helps with pituitary gland issues, sore throat as well as digestive problems. And of course, just like its strong, it blesses you with a strong metabolism, thus ensuring a sound physical health.
Emotional Healing
Carrying a happy color, it is indeed a stone of positivity. It helps you heal from the emotional trauma of sexual abuse, guilt and shame of past. It radiates a sense of positivity in you, thus keeping you more alive, confident and joyful in life. It helps you get rid of any feelings of self doubt as well.
Spiritual Benefits
Aligning the heart, base, crown and root chakra, it brings a sense of stability to our life. It helps in our overall spiritual growth, making it easier to interact with external world, bringing a balance of emotions and thus, making us more empowered. Apart from that, it also symbolizes divine love and helps with relationship problems.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is a Rhodolite formed?
The formation of rhodolite takes place in pegmatitic vein. The extremely heated ground water circulating through rock fractures caused the dissolution of minerals from the rocks in surrounding and depositing them to new sites like those fractures
What is difference between lab grown and natural Rhodolites?
Like most of the gemstones, there is an option to choose between natural and lab-created Rhodolites. One must not confuse “lab grown” with the “fake”. While synthetic is a replica the lab grown is developed in a controlled lab environment.
Lab-created Rhodolites, although, are created using the same base element found in the natural one yet the ones created in lab are strengthened with dye. Also, lab-created rhodolites tend to be less expensive than their natural counterparts.
Where do Rhodolites come from?
Most of the rhodolites deposits are from Mozambique belt, including but not limited to Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique and Tanzania. Other notable locations include Brazil, India, Norway, US and Sri Lanka.
How to take care of Rhodolite Jewelry?
Rhodolite Jewelry is quite easy to clean due to their hardness and durability. However, a few things must be kept in mind like avoiding contact of the gemstone with make-up, harsh chemicals, abrasives.
While cleaning the jewelry make use of lukewarm water and mild cleaning detergent. Soft toothbrush can be used to clean the underside of the Rhodolite.
Also, the jewelry must be individually kept to avoid contact with other jewelry to avoid unnecessary scratches.
What is a Rhodolite certification?
The most common Rhodolite Certifications includes from GIA, IGL and HRD labs. It is usually a document you receive on the behalf of the aforementioned 3rd party labs which describes a Rhodolite in all of its characteristics.
Each and every party’s defining grounds may defer.
Is Rhodolite a natural stone?
Without a doubt, yes! And that’s exactly what makes Rhodolite so special. One of the premium USP of Rhodolite indeed! The pinkish-purple hues of Rhodolite are absolutely natural with absolutely no artificial treatments.
What birth month is Rhodolite?
Rhodolite graces the month of June, making it extra lucky for all the June babies out there.
How strong is Rhodolite?
Since Rhodolite has hardness rating of 7 to 7.5 on Mohs scale, it is known to be a pretty durable gemstone with absolutely no cleavage, making it one of the strongest options out there.
Conclusion
The purplish and rosy hues of Rhodolite are just as unique as its name. Nothing even comes close to the beauty this semi-precious June birthstone holds. Vibrant, vivid and bold! The grace is truly unparalleled and a mere glance tells you that. Since its craze has been on the rise like no other, it becomes quite important to know our gemstone better. And to facilitate you with just that, here we are with our very own Rhodolite education guide covering every aspect of this gorgeous rosy beauty right from the history and beliefs to set the stage to some informative properties and quality determinants to help you make a more informed decision. All in all, a brief discussion about it all! That being said, here we sign off wishing you all the luck in selecting your favorite Rhodolite jewelry with our Rhodolite buying guide.
