Melanite Garnet

The melanite garnet belongs to the andradite family of garnets. They are opaque, black and highly lustrous gemstones. Melanite gets it colour from titanium, and as such is sometimes called ‘titanium garnet.’ The name melanite is derived from the Greek word for black. Melanite garnets were popular in mourning jewellery, and are discernable from other opaque black gemstones by their magnetism. Melanite garnet deposits have been found in Germany. France, Italy and the USA.