Hessonite garnets? My goodness, how beautiful. They hold fire, indeed. Live and learn, as they say...since I have never heard of them before.
--Previous Message-- : I am leaning towards the stones being garnets : too. At least, some of them. My personal : experience with hessonite garnets that I : have owned is that they hold fire and have a : more juicy orange color than citrine or : amber. It's mined in Sri Lanka, among other : places. And as the Dutch had a period of : historic involvement in the-then Ceylon, it : wouldn't surprise me if the Orange vaults : had some lovely specimens of gems from that : beautiful country. : : See link below, the 9-gem pendant (or, : 'navaratna') features a hessonite garnet on : the lower right. This 9-gem setting is how : I've worn hessonite garnet and seen it on : others, and the stones always look bright : cheery orange.. : : : http://www.gemselect.com/other-info/about-hessonite.php : : --Previous Message-- : Wow, these are really beautiful bracelets! : The : one with the large stones (besides that : Chanel horloge) is impressive. The fact that : the Queen wore this bracelet as well, is : enough for me to know that the stones must : be real. : : Thank you for the close-ups, Maridje. : : : : :