RocksdaySpessartine vs Topaz
How to tell them apart
Orange manganese garnet, prized in its bright 'mandarin' color.
Photo: Géry PARENT, Public domain
A fluorine-bearing silicate and the Mohs reference for hardness 8. Crystals are often clear with sharp, diamond-shaped cross-sections.
Photo: Parent Géry, CC BY-SA 3.0
Key differences
- Imperial topaz forms prisms with a perfect cleavage.
Side by side
| Property | Spessartine | Topaz |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Mineral | Mineral |
| Mohs hardness | 7–7.5 | 8 |
| Luster | Vitreous | Vitreous |
| Streak | White | White |
| Colors | Orange, Red, Brown | Clear, Yellow, Orange, Blue, Pink |
| Crystal system | Cubic | Orthorhombic |
| Specific gravity | 4.12–4.18 | 3.49–3.57 |
| Formula | Mn₃Al₂(SiO₄)₃ | Al₂SiO₄(F,OH)₂ |
| Found in | Kunene, Namibia; Nigeria | Ouro Preto, Brazil; Topaz Mountain, Utah |
Properties that are the same for both are grayed out.
How to identify spessartine
- Vivid orange to red-orange.
- Many-faced rounded crystals, often on smoky quartz or feldspar.
- Hardness 7–7.5.
Crystal system: Cubic
Full Spessartine guide →How to identify topaz
- Harder than quartz (8).
- One perfect cleavage across the crystal — flat, mirror-like breaks.
- Feels heavier than quartz of the same size.
- Prisms with lengthwise striations.
Crystal system: Orthorhombic
Full Topaz guide →More comparisons
Could you tell them apart from a blurry close-up?
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