---
title: "Spessartine: meaning in gemology"
description: "Spessartine is an orange garnet species made of manganese, aluminum and silicon. Its hues are warm: yellow, orange, red or brown."
url: https://digitalgemology.com/learn/glossary/spessartine
image: https://digitalgemology.com/img/og-digital-gemology.png?v=d224fb01
---

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[Glossary](https://digitalgemology.com/learn/glossary) · Colored gemstones

# Spessartine

Also called spessartite, spessartine garnet

Spessartine is an orange garnet species made of manganese, aluminum and silicon. Its hues are warm: yellow, orange, red or brown.

## Properties

**Gemological properties of spessartine**

| Refractive index | 1.79 to 1.83 |
| --- | --- |
| Birefringence | None (singly refractive) |
| Optic character | Singly refractive |
| Dispersion | 0.027 |
| Specific gravity | gems usually 4.12 to 4.20 (IGS); full range 3.80 to 4.25 (IGS) |
| Hardness (Mohs) | 7 to 7.5 |
| Crystal system | Cubic |
| Pleochroism | None |
| Absorption spectrum | Weak, 495 nm (Mn); weak, 485 nm (Mn); weak, 462 nm (Mn); strong, 432 nm (Mn); weaker, 424 nm (Mn); intense, 412 nm (Mn) |

Published values. They change a little from stone to stone. Our tools do not model spessartine yet. Sources: [International Gem Society](https://www.gemsociety.org/article/spessartite-garnet/) · [Gemdat](https://www.gemdat.org/gem-3725.html)

## In more detail

Spessartine often has eye-visible inclusions, as hessonite does. It is one of the harder garnets. Like other garnets, it is stable to light and chemicals.

## Related terms

- [Garnet](https://digitalgemology.com/learn/glossary/garnet): Garnet is a group of closely related mineral species. They share the same crystal structure but differ in chemical composition.
- [Grossular](https://digitalgemology.com/learn/glossary/grossular): Grossular is a garnet species made of calcium, aluminum and silicon. It has perhaps the widest color range of any garnet species.
- [Pyrope](https://digitalgemology.com/learn/glossary/pyrope): Pyrope is a garnet species made of magnesium, aluminum and silicon. It is usually pink to orange-red or brown.
- [Almandine](https://digitalgemology.com/learn/glossary/almandine): Almandine is a garnet species made of iron, aluminum and silicon. It is typically brownish to purplish red.

[All 369 terms](https://digitalgemology.com/learn/glossary)