Rhodolite
Rhodolite is a mixture of pyrope, almandine, and spessartine. To be classified as Rhodolite, the SG should be 3.74-3.85 and RI 1.735-1.755 (slight variations in limit values may exist depending on the source). However, the values overlap with standard pyrope, and in some cases, the color determines whether it is a rhodolite or not. There is no difference for the cutter.
Physical Properties:
| Chemistry: | (Mg,Mn,Fe)+23Al2(SiO4)3 |
| Hardness: | 7.25 |
| SG: | 3.74–3.85 |
| Cleavage: | None |
| Fracture: | Sometimes slightly brittle |
| Thermal Sensitivity: | None |
Optical Properties:
| RI: | 1.735–1.755 |
| Dispersion: | 0.026 (medium) |
| Double Refraction: | None |
| Pleochroism: | None |
| Critical Angle: | 34.5° |
Facet Angles (pavilion/crown):
| Vargas: | 41°/40° |
| Olson: | 39°/37° |
| Soukup: | 42°/37° |
| Roth: | 42°/37° |
| MDR: | 42°/37° |
| Schlagel: | 40°/36° |
| Hashnu: | 41°/39° |
| Sinkankas: | 40°/40° |
| GIA: | 42°/37° |
| Perkins: | 42°/37° |
| Raytech: | 40°/38° |
| Cornwall: | 40°/34° |
| Weikoff: | 42°/39° |
| Carroll: | 42.1°/35.3° |
Cutting lap:
Medium - fine
Facet Polishing:
| Vargas: | Aluminum oxide on tin/lead, tin oxide on tin |
| Olson: | Chrome oxide on tin |
| Soukup: | Aluminum oxide on tin or tin/lead |
| Christiansen: | Aluminum oxide on tin/lead, tin oxide on tin |
| Perkins: | Aluminum oxide on BATT or Corian |
| MDR: | Tin or aluminum oxide on tin, aluminum oxide on type metal |
Cabochon Polishing:
| Olson: | Chrome oxide on leather |
| Christiansen: | Aluminum, tin, or chrome oxide on leather or wood |
| Cox: | Aluminum or chrome oxide on leather, cerium oxide on felt |
| Covington: | Chrome or cerium oxide on felt |
Orientation:
For best yield
Treatments/Synthetics:
None
Tips!
Rhodolite is often too brittle for coarse or new Cutting laps.
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